In response to a derogatory remark made in May 2026 by India’s chief justice, who called unemployed youth in India “parasites” and “cockroaches,” the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) was born. Rather than reject the label, Gen Z claimed it defiantly and turned it into a symbolic reassertion of identity.

Described as unprecedented due to its reach, impact and speed, as well as its creativity and courage, this Gen Z movement shares a playbook with other recent youth-led uprisings in South Asia and internationally.

Why this story matters

The movement began with a demand for the government to take responsibility for the leaked national medical entrance exam, NEET, which quickly spiralled into a nationwide push for educational reform and broader institutional accountability. Huge momentum grew online as protesters flooded Instagram with satirical reels, mocking memes and irreverent language.

That energy spilled into the streets on July 20, when a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, was violently disrupted by police wielding lathis and using tear gas and pellet guns, injuring hundreds.

In the days that followed, hundreds of thousands of citizens of all ages........

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