The Cockroach Janta Party is the brainchild of Boston University graduate Abhijeet Dipke, who created the satirical social media account in May following Supreme Court Judge Surya’s disparaging remarks. The controversy has been blamed for the suicide of over 20 students. The term is “meant to dehumanise, evoke disgust, fear, and justify oppression”, he told DJ Mag. India’s student protests, he said, have shown how humour and creativity can outwit authoritarianism, hoping this will simultaneously galvanise support for numerous other protest movements across India, from land rights and environmentalism to human rights violations against indigenous Adivasis. “This is the last line we have to protect ourselves from this authoritarian, patriarchal, dictatorial and fascist state.”