Shashi Tharoor has slammed the government's move to block the 'Cockroach Janata Party' X account, calling it anti-democratic. He also advised opposition parties to see the youth's anger as a big opportunity.
New Delhi (May 22): The satirical 'Cockroach Janata Party' (CJP), which has kicked up a storm on social media, has found a supporter in senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. He has strongly condemned the central government's move to block CJP's official 'X' (formerly Twitter) account in India.
Calling it an "extremely unfortunate and foolish decision," Tharoor argued that the country's youth need an open platform to express themselves. He also had a major piece of advice for the opposition parties: "This anger and dissent from the youth is a huge opportunity that the opposition must use."
1.9 Crore Instagram Followers; Tharoor is Surprised!
In a post on 'X', Shashi Tharoor admitted that he too was surprised by the sudden rise of the Cockroach Janata Party. "I was truly amazed by the growth of #CockroachJantaParty, which crossed 1.5 million followers on Instagram in just five days (it's now over 19 million, or 1.9 crore). I understand the frustration and anger of today's youth. I also get why they are drawn to this platform," Tharoor said.
Just last Wednesday, the official 'X' account of the 'Cockroach Janata Party', which had over 2 lakh followers, was withheld in India following a legal demand.
'Blocking Account is Anti-Democratic': Tharoor
Shashi Tharoor has demanded that the blocked 'X' account be restored immediately. "Blocking their account to suppress the feelings of the youth is a great disservice. In a democracy, there must be space for dissent, humour, satire, and for people to vent their frustrations. So instead of shutting down the CJP account, let it function freely," he urged.
While he said he isn't sure what the future holds for this unique youth movement, he hoped for the best. "The young people behind this should bring this massive energy into mainstream politics. They should become a voice for change through their valuable votes in the coming days and grow to a point where no one can ignore them," he wished.
Shashi Tharoor's Advice to Opposition Parties
Tharoor stated that opposition parties should closely watch this trend in the country's current political climate. "The opposition parties must properly utilise this wave of youth anger that is going viral. This is a massive opportunity for them. Political parties should work to attract the youth and raise their voices on their behalf," he wrote.
What is this 'Cockroach Janata Party' (CJP)?
This satirical platform, which entered the internet world just a week ago, has created a tsunami across the country. It calls itself a "political front for the youth, by the youth" and has declared itself "the voice of the lazy and unemployed."
A person named Abhijit Dipke created this website and has called himself the "Founding President" of the 'Cockroach Janata Party'. The website's footnote clarifies that it is purely for political satire.
What's in the CJP Manifesto?
The CJP's manifesto, which is circulating on social media, has some very serious and interesting demands. It calls for a complete ban on Rajya Sabha seats for retired Chief Justices of the Supreme Court. It demands 50% mandatory reservation for women in Parliament without increasing the total number of seats. It also proposes a strict 20-year ban on politicians who switch parties (turncoats) from contesting any election.
