Bangalore Police Thwarts ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ Street Show of Strength, Warns Against Gathering at Town Hall
Bangalore — Bangalore Police issued a warning on Friday against gathering near the city’s Town Hall for a ‘peaceful human chain’ demonstration. The police took this step after a satirical online group called ‘Cockroach Janata Party Karnataka’ circulated a poster on social media inviting people to such a protest.
The poster called on people to assemble at Town Hall on Sunday, stating, “All cockroaches and supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party, join us to show your strength and send a message to the deluded administration.” It also carried the slogan, “Now it is time to show strength on the streets, not just online.”
As soon as this information surfaced, the Bangalore City Police issued a statement clarifying that no one had obtained permission for the said demonstration, nor had permission been sought from the Greater Bangalore Authority. According to the police, a High Court order permits demonstrations to be held only at ‘Freedom Park,’ and therefore such street protests are prohibited.
The Bangalore Police stated, “The general public is advised not to spread or share the said message on social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and X (Twitter), and not to assemble near Town Hall.” The poster featured an image of cockroaches walking towards the Vidhana Soudha carrying placards reading “Namma Hakku” (Our Right). It further read, “Come cockroaches, let us send a message. There are no leaders here; we ourselves are our leaders. There is no organisation here; the unity of citizens is itself an organisation.”
It is noteworthy that the ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ is a satirical political movement launched on May 16 by Abhijit Deepak, a former political strategist of the Aam Aadmi Party. The platform was started in reaction to a reported remark by Chief Justice of India Suryakant, who allegedly referred to young unemployed Indians as “cockroaches.” However, the Chief Justice later issued a clarification, stating that he had been “misquoted” by the media.
