Cockroach Janta Party's 'Lehra Do Tiranga' March in Delhi: Who They Are, Why Leaders Were Jailed, Explained
The Cockroach Janta Party called a 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march at Connaught Place on 16 October 2026 after two of its leaders were sent to judicial custody for waving the tricolour inside Jantar Mantar. Here is what the CJP is, how a satirical online party became a protest force, and what is happening in Delhi.
A party that began as an internet joke in May is now at the centre of a major security operation in the heart of Delhi. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has called a "Lehra Do Tiranga" (wave the tricolour) march at Connaught Place on 16 October 2026, after two of its leaders were sent to jail for waving the national flag inside Jantar Mantar. Here is what is going on.
The 60-second version
- What: A CJP march at Central Park, Connaught Place, called for 5 pm, 16 October 2026.
- Trigger: Co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to five days of judicial custody on 14 October.
- Demand: Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR voter-roll revision.
- Response: No permission, park closed for two days, prohibitory orders, and a heavy police and CAPF deployment.
- Founder: Abhijeet Dipke, who says he is ready to go to jail "for waving the tricolour".
How a joke became a movement
On 15 May 2026, during a hearing on fake law degrees, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant made remarks that were widely reported as calling some unemployed youth and activists "cockroaches". He later clarified he was referring to people with fraudulent degrees.
The next day, 16 May, political communications strategist Abhijeet Dipke launched the Cockroach Janta Party online as satire, its name a play on the BJP. It went viral almost instantly, gaining millions of Instagram followers within days, according to media reports.
What started as memes turned into street politics:
- June-July 2026: The CJP led protests over NEET and exam irregularities, including an indefinite sit-in at Jantar Mantar that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk joined with a hunger strike. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on 25 July, which many protesters saw as a win.
- September 2026: After an Indian Express report that two Election Commissioners had objected repeatedly to CEC Gyanesh Kumar's decisions on the SIR, the CJP demanded his resignation and joined the wider protests. (See our explainer on the SIR voter roll protests in Delhi.)
The arrests that triggered this march
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 13 Oct | Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka enter Jantar Mantar and wave the tricolour, demanding the CEC's resignation. Police detain them. |
| 14 Oct | An executive magistrate sends both to five days of judicial custody. PTI reports the FIR includes criminal trespass, breach of bond and disobedience of orders. |
| 15 Oct | Dipke calls the Lehra Do Tiranga march and says he is under watch at home. |
| 16 Oct | March day. Central Park closed; prohibitory orders in force. |
Jantar Mantar's status matters here. It was long Delhi's designated protest site, but Delhi Police recently removed it from the list of designated protest venues. On 16 October, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre on a petition challenging that decision.
Security in central Delhi
According to live reports on 16 October:
- More than 6,000 Delhi Police personnel and 220 companies of CAPF were deployed, with barricades at Connaught Place, Patel Chowk, ITO and Sansad Marg.
- Section 163 of the BNSS, which bars large gatherings, is in force.
- NDMC closed Central Park on 16 and 17 October "for administrative reasons", after the Delhi High Court declined to stop the protest.
- Delhi Traffic Police advised commuters to avoid roads around Connaught Place from 3 pm.
- Police spokesperson Neha Yadav said a select group could be allowed to wave the flag and sing the national anthem at a suitable spot.
What each side says
The CJP says it is being targeted for peaceful, symbolic protest. "If we have to go to jail for waving the tricolour, we are ready for it," Dipke told reporters on 15 October.
The opposition: Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi called the jailing of young people for waving the national flag an act of "cowardice". Amnesty International has demanded the leaders' release.
The authorities say the protest has no permission, prohibitory orders are in force, and action will be taken against anyone who breaks them. BJP leaders and Union ministers have earlier accused the CJP of being influenced by foreign or Left interests, claims the party rejects.
The Election Commission has defended the SIR as a clean-up of the electoral rolls.
Why it matters
The CJP story is about more than one march. It raises big questions: where can citizens protest in the capital after Jantar Mantar's de-listing, how far police can go with preventive detention, and how a social media movement can turn into a political force within months. The Supreme Court's notice on Jantar Mantar, and the bail hearing for Das and Ranka, are the next things to watch.
This is a developing story. Facts are based on reporting by PTI, The Wire, Siasat, Deccan Herald, LatestLY and Amnesty International as of 16 October 2026. Allegations by and against the CJP are attributed to those making them. We will update this explainer as the situation changes.
Frequently asked questions
›What is the Cockroach Janta Party?
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) was launched online on 16 May 2026 by political communications strategist Abhijeet Dipke as satire, a day after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant's remark in a court hearing referring to some people as 'cockroaches'. The CJI later said he meant people with fraudulent degrees. The CJP grew rapidly on social media and has since led street protests on exam irregularities and the Election Commission.
›Why were CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka jailed?
Police detained them after they entered Jantar Mantar on 13 October 2026 and waved the national flag while demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. On 14 October an executive magistrate sent them to five days of judicial custody. According to PTI, the FIR includes charges of criminal trespass, breach of bond and disobedience of orders.
›What is the Lehra Do Tiranga march?
It is a march called by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke at Central Park, Connaught Place, for 5 pm on 16 October 2026, to protest the arrests. Police did not grant permission. NDMC closed Central Park for 16 and 17 October, and police said a select group could be allowed to wave the flag and sing the national anthem at another location.
›What are the CJP's demands?
The CJP's current protests demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Election Commission has defended the SIR as a clean-up of voter lists.
›What have political leaders said?
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi called the jailing of youth for waving the tricolour an act of cowardice. Amnesty International has called for the release of the two leaders. The BJP and Union ministers have previously criticised the CJP, with some accusing it of being backed by foreign interests, a charge the party denies.