New Delhi: Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the satirical political outfit Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), on Wednesday said he would appear before a review panel of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) regarding the government’s decision to withhold the group’s X account.
According to reports, the ministry had directed Dipke to visit its headquarters in person and participate in a hearing concerning the suspension of the CJP’s social media account.
Dipke confirms appearance before review committee
Taking to his personal X account, Dipke announced that he would attend the hearing scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
“Today at 3 PM, I will personally appear before the Review Committee of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology regarding the withholding of our account, @CJP_2029,” he wrote.
The hearing comes amid growing attention surrounding the group’s social media activities and its ongoing protest in the national capital.
Protest at Jantar Mantar enters fifth day
Dipke is currently leading a sit-in protest by the Cockroach Janta Party at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and has refused to leave the protest venue.
The agitation entered its fifth day on Wednesday, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations and the controversy surrounding the alleged NEET paper leak.
Protesters have accused the government of failing to ensure transparency and accountability in the conduct of competitive examinations.
Social media storm after launch
The Cockroach Janta Party generated significant attention on social media shortly after its launch on May 16.
The satirical outfit emerged in the wake of controversial remarks attributed to Surya Kant, which were widely interpreted as comparing unemployed youths to “cockroaches”.
The comments sparked widespread online debate and led to the formation of the digital political movement, which quickly gained traction among social media users.
Original account withheld, new handle emerges
Amid intense discussions surrounding the newly formed group, the original CJP account on X was withheld on May 21.
However, the organisation soon returned to the platform with a new account under the name “Cockroach is Back”, continuing its online campaign and political commentary.
The withholding of the original account has raised questions among supporters regarding freedom of expression and the regulation of satirical and political content on social media platforms.
Focus on digital rights and government oversight
The hearing before the MeitY review committee is expected to examine the circumstances that led to the withholding of the account and whether the action complied with applicable legal and regulatory provisions.
The outcome of the proceedings could have wider implications for online political satire, digital activism and the government’s oversight of social media platforms.
Meanwhile, Dipke has maintained that the CJP will continue its protest and campaign until its demands are addressed and greater accountability is ensured in matters relating to public examinations.