Guwahati: In an unusual development amid the controversy surrounding the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), a cockroach effigy was reportedly burnt alongside Ravana’s effigy during a Dussehra-related event in Rupahihat in Assam’s Nagaon district, officials said on Wednesday.
The incident has drawn attention as the cockroach has emerged as a distinctive symbol of the CJP, a youth-led satirical movement that has gained prominence through social media campaigns and protests.
Visuals circulated on social media showed flames engulfing an effigy at a decorated venue, alongside an image of a cockroach.
The report described the burning of the insect effigy alongside Ravana, although details about the organisers, the precise circumstances and the stated motivation behind the act were not immediately available.
The development comes amid a wider controversy over the use of the cockroach as a political symbol in India.
The CJP movement emerged after a controversial remark by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during court proceedings involving unemployed youth.
The reference triggered criticism and became the inspiration for the satirical Cockroach Janata Party, founded by Abhijeet Dipke.
The movement has used the cockroach as a symbol of resilience and protest, drawing attention to concerns surrounding unemployment, economic insecurity and the aspirations of young Indians.
Although its name and online presence resemble those of a political party, CJP has been described by its founder as a youth pressure group rather than a conventional political party.
The controversy gained further attention in Delhi this week when a Ramlila committee in Pitampura burnt a giant cockroach effigy alongside the traditional effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad.
The organisers said the cockroach represented dirt and unhygienic conditions and linked the initiative to cleanliness campaigns, while the episode attracted political attention because of the insect’s association with CJP.
The reported incident in Assam adds another local dimension to the debate over the increasingly political symbolism of the cockroach.
(IANS)
