Abhijeet Dipke, 30, has gained prominence as the founder of India's Gen Z "cockroach" protests. The movement began after Dipke posted on X on 16 May, responding to India's Chief Justice Surya Kant's remark likening jobless youngsters to cockroaches.
Dipke, who recently completed a master's in public relations at Boston University, subsequently launched the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The CJP's website and X account were briefly taken down in India, with a notice stating it was withheld under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, which allows the government to block online information for reasons including national security.
The protests gained significant traction following a turning point on 20 July. When CJP protesters attempted to march towards parliament, police and paramilitary forces used tear gas, batons, and pellet guns to disperse them. Dozens of protesters and police personnel were reported to have been injured during the clashes.
Images of the police response to the young protesters led to a surge of support for the movement, with thousands arriving at Delhi's Jantar Mantar and demonstrations spreading to other cities. The CJP has also focused on issues such as a national medical entrance exam being scrapped due to a question-paper leak, which resonated with students and middle-class families.