“Don’t Take It So Sentimentally”: CJI Responds To ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ Plea

In the ongoing controversy around the “Cockroach Janata Party” social media movement, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Monday advised a petitioner not to react emotionally to the issue while mentioning a plea before the Supreme Court.

The matter was orally mentioned by Advocate NK Goswami, who argued that despite the clarification issued earlier by the Chief Justice, a “distorted and malicious narrative” was still being circulated online regarding the controversy.

Responding to the submission, the CJI remarked, “Don’t take it so sentimentally.”

The controversy began after an oral observation made by the CJI during an earlier court hearing. While speaking about online activism and attacks on institutions, the Chief Justice had referred to certain individuals as “cockroaches.” The comment later triggered widespread reactions on social media.

Soon after, a satirical online movement called “Cockroach Janata Party” emerged across various social media platforms. The movement gained significant attention and reportedly attracted millions of followers within a short period. However, the social media accounts linked to the movement were later suspended.

The Chief Justice had subsequently clarified that his remarks were directed towards individuals allegedly using fake degrees and not unemployed youth, as was being interpreted by several users online.

During today’s proceedings, another lawyer also mentioned a separate petition connected to the same controversy. The plea sought directions to stop the monetisation of oral remarks made during court hearings and also requested a CBI investigation into alleged fake lawyers.

The petitioner argued that the issue had escalated on digital platforms and required urgent judicial attention. However, the CJI declined to treat the matter as urgent and stated that the petition would be listed in due course.