Delhi: The rapid rise of the satirical Cockroach Janta Party on social media has left the parents of founder Abhijeet Dipke worried and emotionally distressed, with fears that their son could face arrest or political trouble because of his growing visibility online.

Speaking to a Marathi news channel, Bhagwan and Anita Dipke, residents of Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, said they do not want their son to pursue politics and have become increasingly anxious since learning about his latest political venture, according to reports.

The couple said such fears felt “natural” in the current political environment.

Bhagwan Dipke said the family became concerned after hearing Abhijeet himself speak publicly about the possibility of being arrested after returning to India.

“If we look at politics nowadays, fear is natural, no matter how many followers he has. In one of his interviews, he himself expressed fear of being arrested after returning to India. We read about such incidents in newspapers,” he said.

His mother, Anita Dipke, also made it clear that she does not support her son entering politics and would rather see him focus on building a stable career.

“We just want him to come home safely. Whether he continues in politics will be his decision, but we do not want him to pursue it. I do not know whether he will listen to us or not. I will not support him in this. I am worried about him,” she said.

Family reveals Abhijeet Dipke’s educational journey

Anita Dipke said her son completed his early education in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar before later moving to Pune for higher studies.

She explained that engineering studies proved challenging for him, after which he shifted towards mass media and journalism-related studies.

Bhagwan Dipke added that Abhijeet eventually moved abroad to study journalism because his sister was already living there.

He said he had originally hoped his son would settle into a conventional job in cities such as Pune or Delhi instead of becoming involved in political activism.

Family learnt about party through neighbours and grandchildren

According to his parents, they were initially unaware that Abhijeet had launched the Cockroach Janta Party.

They said neighbours first informed them about the political satire movement, while their grandchildren later explained how rapidly the outfit had gained popularity on social media platforms.

The family was reportedly surprised to learn that the party’s follower count had overtaken that of several well-known public figures and political organisations online.

Anita Dipke also recalled discouraging her son from entering politics during his earlier association with Aam Aadmi Party.

“Later, I was told by one of my grandchildren that he has more followers on social media than many prominent people in the country. Earlier, he had worked with AAP. Even then, I had told him that we were not into politics and that he should pursue a service,” she said.

Father says he has lost sleep amid fears of arrest

Bhagwan Dipke said the sudden social media explosion surrounding the Cockroach Janta Party has left him deeply worried about his son’s safety.

“I’m worried because he is now famous. And such individuals get arrested. I have not slept for the past two nights worrying about what might happen to him. I hate politics and have no interest in it,” he said.

CJP crosses BJP on Instagram, faces action on X

The Cockroach Janta Party has now crossed 19 million followers on Instagram, surpassing the follower count of the Bharatiya Janata Party on the platform.

Meanwhile, on X, the party’s original account was withheld in India following a legal demand.

However, only hours later, another account titled “Cockroach is Back” surfaced on the platform and reportedly gained more than 21,000 followers within a little over an hour.

The profile bio declared: “Cockroaches don’t die!”

Its first post read: “You thought you can get rid of us? Lol.”

Why was the Cockroach Janta Party created?

The Cockroach Janta Party was founded by Abhijeet Dipke following controversy surrounding remarks made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who had reportedly used the words “parasites” and “cockroaches” while referring to unemployed youth.

Since its launch, much of the party’s online content has focused on issues affecting young Indians, including unemployment, exam paper leaks, education-related concerns and frustrations surrounding job opportunities.

The movement’s messaging is largely presented through graphics, animations, parody-style manifestos and charter-based public demands, helping it gain rapid traction among younger audiences online.

Agency inputs