You've heard of China's rat people, now get ready for India's cockroaches.

On Saturday, hundreds of young Indians gathered in the capital New Delhi. Many donned masks showing cockroach faces to back a satirical drive known as the Cockroach Janta Party.

The term janta means people in Hindi, and the CJP pokes fun at the name of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The effort protests elevated youth joblessness across the country, graft within official ranks, and shortcomings in the education sector.

The cockroach label emerged in May during a Supreme Court session when Chief Justice Surya Kant likened idle young people to unemployed cockroaches and parasites. He later noted the remark targeted holders of fake credentials rather than all youth.

After the comments, US-based Indian Abhijeet Dipke wrote on X, What if all cockroaches come together? He then started the CJP, inviting those who are unemployed, idle, constantly online, and skilled at professional complaining to take part. The site describes itself as the voice of the lazy and unemployed and a political party for the people the system forgot to count.

The group's Instagram account has reached 22.7 million followers, outpacing the BJP's page, while its X account holds nearly 300,000 followers.

The CJP appears as India faces elevated youth unemployment. March data from the Indian Press Information Bureau showed a 9.9 percent rate for ages 15 to 29 in 2025, rising to 13.6 percent in urban areas. Vast numbers of qualified young workers compete for limited positions.

The New Delhi protest targeted the removal of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the leaked NEET medical entrance exam taken by millions of aspirants.

Participants received lighthearted guidance such as Eat before you arrive. Revolution requires breakfast, and The movement is stronger when cockroaches arrive in groups.

Although other youth-led actions have occurred in India over jobs and exam issues, none have matched the online reach of the CJP.

The trend echoes recent youth protests across South Asia in places like Bangladesh and Nepal, unlike China's rat people movement of quiet withdrawal from intense work demands and limited prospects.

Representatives for the Cockroach Janta Party offered no response to inquiries.