'Don't Take It So Sentimentally' : CJI On Plea Against 'Cockroach Janata Party'

The Chief Justice of India today told a petitioner not to take the 'Cockroach Janata Party' issue so emotionally, when the lawyer orally mentioned a petition concerning it for urgent listing.

Advocate NK Goswami submitted that despite the clarification given by the Chief Justice of India, a "distorted and malicious narrative is being continued."

"Don't take it so sentimentally," CJI Surya Kant told the lawyer.

'Cockroach Janata Party' is a satirical social media movement which emerged in response to an oral comment made by the CJI during a hearing, where he equated unemployed youth attacking systems under the garb of online activism as 'cockroaches'. The CJI later clarified that he was referring to persons with fake degrees. The social media handles of 'Cockroach Janata Party', which amassed milions of followers within a matter of days, were later suspended.

Another petition filed in the Supreme Court, seeking directions to prevent the monetising of the oral comments made in the Court, and also seeking CBI investigation against fake lawyers, was mentioned in the Court by another lawyer for urgent listing. This petition was also filed in the backdrop of the "Cockroach Janata Party' movement. The CJI said that there was no urgency in the matter, and that it will be listed in the due course.