'Cockroach' movement gives voice to India's angry youth

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a movement that emerged from social media satire only weeks ago, is preparing to take its campaign onto India's streets.

Its founder Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old Boston University graduate, said on Monday he would return to India to lead a "peaceful protest" on June 6 demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged exam irregularities.

"The time has come for all of us to come together, following the path of the Constitution of India, and peacefully raise our voices to demand Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation," Dipke said in a video posted on the CJP's Instagram handle on Monday. "If we raise our voices together, they will definitely have to listen to us," he added.

India's nationwide medical entrance test was canceled last month, but only after some 2.2 million students already took the exam. The authorities said the move was due to suspicions that exam questions had been leaked.

The CJP was set up after remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who reportedly compared some unemployed young people to "cockroaches" and "parasites" last month.

Kant later said his comments were taken out of context and that he was referring to those who use fake degrees.

But the remarks touched a raw nerve among many young Indians already struggling with unemployment, recurring examination scandals and growing economic insecurity.

Dipke launched the CJP as a satirical online project, but it quickly took on a life of its own.