The viral online satirical movement, Cockroach Janta Party, reached the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday, where the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant urged the lawyers not to react ‘so sentimentally.’ He also declined an urgent hearing on petitions linked to the online campaign. 

The bench comprising CJI Kant and other Justices Joymalya Bagchi, as well as VM Pancholi observed that there was ‘no such grave urgency’ in the matter, maintaining that the pleas would be examined through the normal legal process. 

Notably, advocates mentioned two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) before the court, seeking urgent intervention over the snowballing satirical movement that emerged following controversial oral observations made during an earlier hearing at the Supreme Court. 

“Don’t take it so sentimentally”: CJI

During the proceedings, advocate NK Goswami argued that the viral online campaigning had been tarnishing the image and credibility of the judiciary. Responding to this, CJI Kant asserted, “Don’t take it so sentimentally.” Following this, the court refused to grant immediate listing or urgent relief in the matter. 

Another petition filed by advocate Raja Choudhary sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged fake advocates and fraudulent law degrees. The plea also demanded action against what it described as the commercial exploitation and monetisation of oral courtroom observations circulated online. 

Meanwhile, a separate petition specifically targeted the Cockroach Janta Party, accusing the campaign of propagating content detrimental to judicial institutions. 

CJI’s earlier remarks triggered backlash online

The Cockroach Janta Party surfaced online after CJI Kant made several remarks during a previous hearing at the SC, related to fake law degrees and senior advocate designations. During that exchange, CJI Kant criticised what he called repeated institutional attacks and referred to certain people as ‘parasites of society.’ He also said that some unemployed youth become like ‘cockroaches,’ and attack institutions by means of social media campaigns, social media activism and RTI-driven narratives. 

The comments took the internet by a storm, and many social media users accused the judiciary of insulting unemployed youth, as well as dismissing genuine frustrations surrounding joblessness and governance.

Later, the CJI clarified that his remarks were ‘misquoted’ and were specifically directed at people entering professions using fake or bogus degrees, not unemployed youth in general.