The Cockroaches are Knocking
What India's newest Gen-Z revolt is really telling us

Dr Raj Singh *

Imagine a political rally where the participants wear cockroach masks.
Imagine young people proudly calling themselves cockroaches.
Imagine millions of social media followers supporting a movement that began almost as a joke.
It sounds like a comedy show. Yet it is happening in India today.

The new youth-led movement called the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has emerged from social media and has begun organizing protests and gatherings, particularly among Gen Z, the generation born roughly between 1997 and 2012. At first glance, the movement appears humorous and absurd. But beneath the jokes, memes, and cockroach symbols lies something far more serious: frustration.

For students of politics, the emergence of such a movement raises important questions. Why is this happening in a country that is growing faster than most major economies in the world ? Why is it happening under a Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one of the most popular political leaders in contemporary global politics ?

Most importantly, what lessons does this hold for places like Manipur ? To answer these questions, we need to look beyond the obvious.

The Cockroach Is Not the Story

The first mistake would be to focus too much on the cockroach. The cockroach is merely a symbol. The real story is why millions of young people find that symbol attractive.

The movement emerged from growing frustrations among young Indians over unemployment, competitive examinations, paper leaks, delayed recruitment processes, rising living costs, and a feeling that political leaders do not fully understand their struggles.

Many young Indians are asking a simple question: ‘If India is becoming a global power, when will our lives become easier ?’ This question may sound unfair because India has indeed achieved remarkable progress.

The country has become the world’s fifth-largest economy. It has built a world-class digital infrastructure. Indian startups attract billions of dollars. Indian scientists land a spacecraft on the Moon. India is increasingly respected on the global stage.

Yet economic success at the National level does not automatically translate into personal success for every young citizen. A graduate who is unsuccessfully searching for a job does not celebrate GDP growth every morning. A student whose examination paper has been leaked does not feel comforted by stock market statistics. People judge reality through their own experiences.

The Theory of Rising Expectations

Sociologists have long studied this phenomenon. One useful idea is called the Relative Deprivation Theory. It says that people become unhappy not because they are poor, but because reality falls short of what they expected. Imagine a village where everybody owns bicycles. Nobody complains. Now, suppose half the villagers buy motorcycles while the other half still ride bicycles. Suddenly, dissatisfaction appears.

The bicycle owners are no poorer than before, but they feel left behind. The same thing happens in societies. India’s youth grew up hearing about Digital India, Startup India, Viksit Bharat, Artificial Intelligence, and the goal of becoming a developed Nation. These dreams are inspiring. But dreams also raise expectations. When expectations rise faster than opportunities, frustration follows. The Cockroach Janta Party is a symptom of that frustration.

This Has Happened Before

Many readers may think that such a movement is unique. It is not. History is full of youth movements that started unexpectedly.

The Arab Spring (2010–2012)

The Arab Spring began in Tunisia in North Africa and quickly spread to Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria, and several other Arab countries. Young people used Facebook, Twitter, and mobile phones to organize protests against corruption, unemployment, and authoritarian Governments. Several Governments fell.

The presidents of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen lost power. The movement demonstrated the extraordinary power of connected youth.

Occupy Wall Street (United States, 2011)

This movement started in New York City after the global financial crisis of 2008. Young Americans protested against economic inequality and the growing gap between the rich and the poor. Their famous slogan was : ‘We are the 99%.’ Although the movement did not remove any Government, it changed public discussions about inequality across America.

Bangladesh Student Movement (2024)

One of the most dramatic recent examples occurred in Bangladesh. Student-led protests against Government policies expanded rapidly and eventually contributed to a major political crisis that transformed the country’s political landscape. The lesson was clear: Young people may appear politically inactive for years. But when frustrations accumulate, change can occur suddenly.

The Gen Z Movement of Nepal 2025

Nepal’s leaderless, youth-led uprising erupted after the Government banned major social media platforms. Driven by anger over systemic corruption, severe unemployment, and elite nepotism, digital mobilization fueled mass protests that eventually toppled the administration of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.\

Is India Facing an Arab Spring?

The answer is no. At least not in the same way. India differs from many countries where such movements led to regime change. India is a democracy. Governments can be voted out. Political parties compete regularly. Courts function. Media debates continue. Civil society remains active. Young people have many democratic channels available to express dissatisfaction.

That is why comparisons with the Arab Spring should be made carefully. The similarities lie in the use of social media, youth participation, and frustration. The differences lie in the political system. In Egypt, people protested because they lacked democratic avenues. In India, people protest within a democratic framework. That difference is enormous.

Can the Cockroach Janta Party Change the Government?

Probably not. At least not directly. India’s political system is too large, too complex, and too diverse. Winning elections in India requires organization, leadership, funding, alliances, and grassroots networks. Social media popularity alone is insufficient. However, political influence and political power are not the same thing. The Occupy Wall Street movement never formed a Government. Yet it changed National conversations.

The anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare in 2011 did not directly govern India. Yet it reshaped Indian politics. The Cockroach Janta Party may follow a similar path. It may never become a major political party. But it could pressure all political parties to pay greater attention to youth issues. That itself would be a significant achievement.

Why the Cockroach ?

This is perhaps the most interesting question. Why choose a cockroach ? Because the cockroach symbolizes survival. People try to eliminate it. Yet it survives. People ignore it. Yet it returns. The message is simple: ‘You may dismiss us. You may mock us. But you cannot ignore us.’

Political history shows that groups often embrace labels originally intended as insults. The insult becomes a badge of pride. The Cockroach Janta Party appears to be doing exactly that. The Governance Warning Governments should not laugh off such movements. Not because the movement is powerful. But because it reveals something important-a weakened trust.

When trust weakens, unusual forms of political expression emerge. Memes become political messages. Satire becomes protest. Humour becomes resistance. The appearance of a cockroach movement does not mean India is unstable. It means some young people feel unheard. That distinction is important.

The Manipur Lesson

At first glance, the Cockroach Janta Party appears unrelated to Manipur. In reality, it offers an important lesson. Many of the frustrations driving young people elsewhere in India are even stronger in Manipur. Unemployment, poor-quality education, limited private-sector opportunities, dependence on Government jobs, political uncertainty, ethnic conflict, and migration.

Thousands of educated young people spend years preparing for examinations while waiting for opportunities that may never arrive. Many eventually leave the State. Others remain trapped in uncertainty. The danger is not merely economic. It is psychological. When people lose hope, they begin searching for alternative identities and causes. Sociologists call this an identity crisis.

Young people who cannot find opportunity often seek belonging elsewhere - in political extremism, ethnic Nationalism, religious radicalism, or social conflict. The various forms of unrest seen in Manipur are the telltale signs of an angry Gen Z population.

Beyond the Cockroach

The deeper lesson of the Cockroach Janta Party is not about cockroaches. It is about listening. Young people do not suddenly wake up and create strange political movements. Such movements emerge when frustrations accumulate over time. The student protests that launched the Arab Spring initially looked insignificant. The tents of Occupy Wall Street looked insignificant.

History often begins with events that appear small. Whether the Cockroach Janta Party survives or disappears remains to be seen. Many social media movements fade quickly. Others evolve into something larger. Yet even if this movement vanishes tomorrow, the questions it raises will remain.

Why are so many young people anxious despite economic growth ?
Why do many feel disconnected from political institutions ?
Why are opportunities not keeping pace with aspirations ?

These are not cockroach questions. They are National questions.

And perhaps the most important lesson for Governments everywhere is this: When young people begin speaking through satire, wise leaders do not laugh at the joke. They listen carefully to the message hidden inside it.


This column, “Beyond the Obvious,” seeks to examine public controversies not through emotional binaries but through deeper historical memory, constitutional logic, and comparative political thought - in the belief that durable peace lies not in louder demands, but in wiser design.