What began as an online satire movement mocking politics and unemployment has now turned into a source of anxiety for the family of ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke. As the platform’s popularity explodes across social media, Dipke’s parents say they fear the attention could bring serious consequences for their son, including possible legal trouble or arrest over his political content.
Dipke, a student at Boston University and a former associate of the Aam Aadmi Party, launched the satirical digital campaign only days ago. In a short span, the platform gained massive traction online, with its Instagram page reportedly crossing 19 million followers.
Speaking to a Marathi news channel, Dipke’s parents, Bhagwan Dipke and Anita Dipke from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, admitted they were deeply unsettled by their son’s sudden fame and political commentary.
"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," Bhagwan Dipke said.
His mother Anita Dipke echoed similar concerns, saying she hoped her son would prioritise a stable career instead of politics. "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.
According to the family, Abhijeet completed his early education in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar before shifting to Pune for higher studies. Anita said engineering studies proved difficult for him, which later pushed him towards journalism and mass media.
Bhagwan Dipke added that his son eventually moved abroad to study journalism, partly because his sister was already settled there. He said he had always preferred that Abhijeet take up a regular job in cities like Pune or Delhi rather than enter politics.
The parents revealed that they first heard about the Cockroach Janta Party from relatives and neighbours.
"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," Anita said.
Bhagwan Dipke further admitted that the rapid rise of the platform has left him unable to sleep. "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.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
