Why Is India's Viral Political Movement Called the 'Cockroach' Janta Party? The Origin Explained

On May 20, 2026, Supreme Court Chief Justice Surya Kant asked why unemployed graduates were roaming around 'like cockroaches.' Within 48 hours, millions of Indians had reclaimed the slur as a badge of honour. The Cockroach Janta Party's name is not an insult — it is a direct quote from the country's highest judge, worn with deliberate, defiant pride. The Guardian traces the etymology of CJP's name from a moment of judicial contempt to the most-recognised political brand among India's youth, and explains why calling yourself a cockroach has become the most powerful act of political self-definition in 2026.