The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), founded by Abhijeet Dipke, was born out of outrage over remarks attributed to Chief Justice Surya Kant, who reportedly compared unemployed youth pursuing activism and journalism to “cockroaches and parasites”. Since then, CJP has sought to portray itself as a spontaneous, student-led, Gen-Z movement representing ordinary young Indians frustrated by unemployment, examination scandals and governance failures.
However, as more public supporters emerge from the shadows, an irony is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: many of the faces rallying behind the movement are not politically unaffiliated students at all, but individuals with long-standing connections to political parties, activist networks and organised agitation politics.
The latest figure to throw his weight behind the movement is Ronak Khatri, former Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) president and a prominent leader associated with the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress party.
Ronak Khatri Extends Support To CJP
In a video message released ahead of CJP’s planned protest at Jantar Mantar, Khatri appealed to students and youth across the country to join the movement.
Describing himself as a student rather than a student leader, Khatri accused Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan of failing students and cited issues ranging from examination irregularities to poor infrastructure in government colleges.
He claimed that students across India were facing injustice and argued that the Education Ministry had failed to address recurring controversies involving examinations such as NEET, CBSE, SSC GD, D.El.Ed and Delhi Police recruitment.
Khatri concluded his appeal by expressing full support for the Cockroach Janta Party’s movement and urging people to gather at Jantar Mantar for what he described as a peaceful protest.
Student Leader & Former DUSU President Ronak Khatri has extended his support to the Cockroach Movement. pic.twitter.com/ODQXOQy3UC
— Abhijeet Dipke (@abhijeet_dipke) June 4, 2026
Not Just A Student Leader, But A Congress-Linked Leader
While Khatri presented himself as a student speaking for students, his political affiliations are no secret.
Khatri rose to prominence through the NSUI and served as DUSU president with the backing of the Congress-affiliated student organisation. His political identity is therefore deeply rooted within the Congress.
This raises an obvious question: if CJP is truly a non-political, student-led movement, why are established political figures and party-linked leaders becoming some of its most visible supporters?
The growing list of endorsements from individuals with political backgrounds increasingly undermines CJP’s claim of being independent of traditional political ecosystems.
Degree Withheld Over Unpaid Dues
The controversy surrounding Khatri does not end with his political affiliations.
In February 2026, reports emerged that Delhi University had withheld Khatri’s LLB degree and mark sheets over alleged unpaid guest house and catering dues exceeding ₹9 lakh.
According to reports, university authorities cited outstanding payments accumulated during his tenure in student politics. The issue generated considerable controversy at the time, with debates emerging over accountability and financial responsibility within student leadership circles.
A) He is an NSUI leader – associated with Congress.
B) Only in February 2026, his LLB degree and mark sheets were withheld over unpaid catering and guesthouse bills of over Rs 9 lacs.
A true cockroach hero https://t.co/6oPFBYJ1oM pic.twitter.com/cAxf9Ad9yi
— Nupur J Sharma (@UnSubtleDesi) June 4, 2026
Khatri’s endorsement adds yet another politically connected face to a movement that continues to insist it has no political roots. From former party functionaries and political campaigners to activist networks and student leaders with established partisan affiliations, many of the individuals gravitating towards CJP appear far removed from the image of the ordinary student the movement claims to represent.
Ironically, if one were to go by the very analogy that inspired the movement’s name, it is not anonymous students but seasoned political activists, party-linked leaders and professional agitators who seem most eager to embrace the “cockroach” label. As more such figures emerge in support of CJP, the question becomes harder to ignore: is this really a grassroots Gen-Z uprising, or simply old political actors finding a new banner under which to march?
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