Cockroach Janta Party founder alleges social media crackdown, claims accounts blocked, hacked

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the satirical social media platform Cockroach Janta Party, has alleged a widening crackdown on the group’s online presence after claiming that multiple social media accounts linked to the platform were either withheld, taken down or hacked. The developments come days after the Centre reportedly ordered social media platform X to block the party’s original account.

Dipke said the action had expanded beyond the initial X account and now included backup handles and Instagram pages associated with the platform.

Taking to X on Saturday, Dipke claimed that both the organisation and its associated accounts had become inaccessible.

“Crackdown on Cockroach Janta Party. Instagram page hacked. My personal Instagram hacked. Twitter account withheld. Back up account also taken down,” Dipke wrote.

He further urged followers not to treat any future posts appearing from those handles as official communications, saying the team no longer had access to its social media platforms.

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“Please note that we currently do not have access to any of our platforms. Any post made after this should not be considered an official statement from the Cockroach Janta Party,” he said.

Threats after launch

Dipke had earlier launched a new X handle titled Cockroach is Back after the original account became inaccessible. However, he now claims that even the backup account was removed.

A day earlier, Dipke also alleged that he had begun receiving death threats following the launch of the satirical platform. He posted screenshots of messages on social media, claiming they contained threats directed at him.

One message, according to screenshots shared by Dipke, allegedly warned him to shut down the account or face consequences.

In an interview with The Indian Express, Dipke said he was concerned not only for his own safety but also for his family members residing in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.

He claimed he had received videos and messages suggesting individuals had reached his family residence and issued warnings.

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Background

The satirical platform emerged after remarks by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant drew public attention. During a hearing, Surya Kant had used references involving “cockroaches” while criticising individuals allegedly entering professions using fake credentials and attacking institutions.

The comments later triggered widespread debate online, after which the Chief Justice issued a clarification saying his remarks had been misinterpreted.

He stated that his criticism was directed at individuals using fake qualifications and insisted that he held Indian youth in high regard.

No public statement

According to reports, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had instructed X to withhold the original account under provisions of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act after receiving intelligence inputs.

Under X’s policies, accounts can be withheld upon receiving valid requests from authorised agencies.

The government has not publicly commented on Dipke’s latest allegations regarding the blocking of accounts or claims of Instagram hacking. However, reports suggest authorities may be examining action against related platforms as well.

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