Abhijeet Dipke, India’s Cockroach Janta Party founder and leader, was slapped repeatedly by unknown men during a protest in Jaipur on Monday. The attack, captured on television and social media, aimed to intimidate Dipke and his supporters.
Dipke, 30, who has lived in the U.S. for two years, said these tactics are intended to distract from the main issue: demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over examination paper leaks and marking errors.
The Cockroach Janta Party, representing “the lazy, the unemployed, and the chronically correct,” has gained traction among India’s 1.42 billion population, with more than half under 30. The group demands action from the Modi government over exam integrity issues.
Modi’s administration blocked the party’s X account in an effort to suppress its message. However, the movement continues to communicate via alternate accounts and maintains a strong online presence with over 22.5 million Instagram followers.