New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday sought responses from the Union government and social media platform X on a petition challenging the blocking of the X account of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), while refusing to grant interim relief at this stage.
The plea was filed by Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the satirical online outfit, who questioned the legality of the account suspension and sought restoration of access. The matter was heard by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav.
During the hearing, the court observed that the issue involved broader legal concerns and could not be decided without hearing all parties involved, the Bar and Bench reported.
“There may be some substance in your submissions, but they all need to be considered. They will be considered holistically after hearing the other side. There are far-reaching issues. There are wider ramifications,” the court observed.
The High Court said any decision on restoring the account could be considered only after the Union government presents its stand. It directed the Centre to file a detailed response within four weeks and scheduled the next hearing for July 6.
In the meantime, the court ordered a review of the blocking decision under the applicable legal framework governing such actions.
The Cockroach Janta Party was launched in May 2026 by former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member Abhijeet Dipke amid controversy over remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during a Supreme Court hearing.
Media reports had linked the terms “cockroaches” and “parasites” to criticism of youth, prompting backlash. However, the Chief Justice later clarified that his remarks were directed at individuals allegedly entering the legal profession through “fake and bogus degrees” and said his comments had been misquoted.
Positioning itself as a youth-driven movement, the CJP says it aims to raise issues concerning young people and hold institutions accountable. The group gained attention for adopting the “cockroach” symbol as a form of protest.
After its original X account was withheld in India on May 21, the movement resurfaced with a new handle, Cockroach is Back, and has since run campaigns, including a demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and education sector concerns.
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