CJP and several figures associated with it have faced criticism over controversial remarks on Sanatana Dharma and religious traditions
NEW DELHI: It all began when key figures associated with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) started voicing opinions that sparked deep resentment across the nation. Prominent voices associated with the entity stepped into public discourse only to issue contentious remarks aimed directly at Hindu deities, the foundational tenets of Sanatana Dharma, traditional festivals, and long-standing religious practices. What many believers viewed as sacred traditions were repeatedly dismissed, ridiculed, or questioned under the guise of free expression, leaving millions of devout followers hurt and outraged as these repeated controversies laid the groundwork for growing societal tension and sharp backlash.
This report highlights 16 prominent individuals linked to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and details their controversial statements regarding Hindu deities, Sanatana Dharma, traditional festivals, and religious beliefs between 2016 and 2026. These figures have frequently questioned Hindu customs, made disparaging remarks about Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, and other deities, and criticised major celebrations like Diwali.
Abhijeet Dipke is the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which was established in May 2026. A journalism graduate from Pune who later completed a Master’s in Public Relations at Boston University, Dipke has worked as a political communications strategist. Media reports have linked his past work to the social media and campaign machinery of the Aam Aadmi Party. He launched the CJP following a political controversy surrounding remarks made by Chief Justice Surya Kant regarding unemployed youth.
Dipke has consistently faced criticism for standing in solidarity with Umar Khalid, a key accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. Through various social media posts, Dipke actively questioned and condemned Khalid’s prolonged detention. Investigations into the CJP’s online Discord community revealed widespread praise for Khalid among its members, with supporters regularly describing the riots accused in glowing terms.
During a CJP demonstration at Jantar Mantar on 18 July 2026, men’s-rights activist Barkha Trehan threw ink at Dipke in a public protest. Trehan stated that her actions were prompted by CJP leaders and Dipke mocking Bhagwan Ram and Devi Sita from the stage. The incident sparked intense outrage among devout Hindus, becoming one of the major religious controversies attached to Dipke’s public record.
Dhruv Rathee is a Germany-based YouTuber and content creator originally from Haryana who studied Mechanical Engineering and Renewable Energy at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Known for his political commentary on Indian affairs, Rathee has frequently faced accusations of harbouring a strong bias against Hindu traditions and national institutions. His close ties to the CJP were highlighted on 8 October 2026, when founder Abhijeet Dipke posted a video featuring Rathee alongside figures like Prakash Raj and Mohammed Zubair ahead of a CJP protest in Bengaluru.
On 21 March 2026, Rathee released a video titled “Can Hindus Eat BEEF? | Kerala Story 2 EXPOSED,” in which he selectively cited ancient Hindu texts to claim that revered deities like Bhagwan Ram, Bhagwan Krishna, and the Pandavas consumed meat, beef, and alcohol. The video provoked strong anger for attempting to demean sacred scriptures and misrepresent Hindu traditions. Following complaints regarding hurt religious sentiments, the government’s Grievance Appellate Committee ordered YouTube to take down the video in July 2026.
Rathee has drawn severe backlash for targeting Hindu festivals, including a Diwali post where he mocked people promoting firecrackers by claiming to observe two minutes of silence for them following a child’s death, an incident critics pointed out was falsely linked to firecrackers. Additionally, in his 2021 video defending comedians like Munawar Faruqui and Kunal Kamra, he dismissed genuine concerns over Hinduphobic comedy as mere political drama. He also faced widespread condemnation for a 2019 post mocking former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s cancer treatment using derogatory references to sacred cow products shortly after Parrikar’s passing.
Prakash Raj is a South Indian actor and politician who has positioned himself as an outspoken critic of Hindutva, the BJP, and traditional nationalistic values. Despite claiming his opposition is strictly political, his interventions have repeatedly targeted Hindu sacred beliefs, temples, and religious practices. He aligned himself with the Cockroach Janta Party by publicly backing their June 2026 protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and joining their Bengaluru demonstration at Freedom Park in October 2026.
Prakash Raj caused widespread anger among Hindus in September 2023 when he echoed Udhayanidhi Stalin’s controversial statements by declaring at an event in Kalaburagi that “Sanatan is like dengue, and it must be eradicated,” while mocking the faith as “Tanatan.” Years earlier, during the 2018 Sabarimala controversy, he attacked age-old temple traditions and devotees by declaring he had no respect for a religion or a God that restricted women’s entry, questioning the faith of millions of Ayyappa devotees.
Beyond his direct attacks on Sanatana Dharma, Prakash Raj has built a reputation for repeatedly insulting Hindu traditions and sensibilities. He has routinely mocked sacred symbols like cow urine, opposed popular cultural narratives like The Kashmir Files, and questioned traditional practices. These repeated actions have reinforced the view among believers that his political commentary consistently singles out Hindu sacred beliefs for ridicule.
Saurav Das is a 27-year-old activist and commentator who was appointed as the Chief Spokesperson and Co-Convener of the Cockroach Janta Party in June 2026. He has faced fierce criticism for his open admiration of Umar Khalid, an accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. In December 2025, Das posted about his meeting with Khalid, referring to him as the “bravest,” expressing “mad respect” for him, and attacking the Indian judiciary by calling Khalid’s imprisonment a “permanent blot.”
Das has a documented history of opposing major civilisational and national milestones cherished by millions of Hindus. He openly opposed the reconstruction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, referring to the historic day of December 6 as a “sad day” and using language widely seen as anti-Hindu rhetoric. Furthermore, he opposed Bharat’s sovereign decision to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, controversially relying on statements from the Chief Justice of Pakistan to back his stance against Indian parliamentary decisions.
Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of Alt News and a prominent leader within the Cockroach Janta Party, has faced intense criticism over his history of targeting Hindu religious sentiments. In June 2022, compilations of his past social media posts went viral, revealing content that mocked Bhagwan Hanuman, Bhagwan Ram, the Mahabharata, the sacred Shivling, the Sanskrit language, and the Pushpak Vimana. As public outrage grew over these disparaging posts against Hindu scriptures and deities, Zubair deleted his Facebook account, later facing legal action and arrest for hurting religious feelings.
In addition to his controversial history regarding Hindu deities, Zubair has openly expressed political solidarity with key figures accused of anti-national activities. On 31 December 2023, he posted a message on X reaffirming his unyielding support for Umar Khalid, a primary accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. Zubair claimed that Khalid and other jailed activists were framed, aligning himself directly with individuals accused of instigating communal violence.
Neha Bora is a lawyer, former legal journalist, and AISA national president who serves as the Legal Affairs Lead on the Cockroach Janta Party’s National Working Committee. Holding an LL.B. from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, she emerged as one of the movement’s prominent spokespersons during the Jantar Mantar protests. She functioned as one of CJP’s primary legal strategists, actively organising legal defences for protesters facing police action and FIRs.
Bora drew strong public criticism for organising and promoting pro-Palestine demonstrations at Jantar Mantar under banners accusing India of complicity in alleged “genocide.” Along with her anti-Israel activism, she routinely defended 2020 Delhi riots conspirators Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. In various media appearances, she questioned their legal detention, objected to their public perception as accused rioters, and advocated for their immediate relief.
In public commentary and podcast appearances, Bora has openly opposed efforts to unite the Hindu community across caste lines, claiming that a consolidated Hindu society poses a threat to Muslims. While relentlessly focusing on perceived flaws in Hindu culture, she has completely ignored issues affecting Muslim women and dismissed the serious concern of Love Jihad with casual laughter, feeding into divisive narratives that target the majority community.
Bora has frequently used her platform to target the Brahmin community under the guise of student activism. In her widely circulated videos, she redefined “Brahminism” to blame the community for every form of societal discrimination, regardless of whether caste was involved. By weaponising terms to vilify a specific Hindu community, her rhetoric has been called out for spreading prejudice and hatred against traditional Hindu structures.
Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah publicly aligned himself with the Cockroach Janta Party by attending their protest at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. In videos shared by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, Shah was seen embracing Dipke and encouraging the movement, urging CJP activists to continue their political agitations.
Following the violent mob attack in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, which led to the tragic death of police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, Shah provoked public outrage by comparing human lives to cow protection. He claimed that in Bharat, the death of a cow had become more significant than the death of a police officer, while also making sensational claims about fearing for his children’s safety from Hindu mobs.
Shah has consistently stirred controversy by defending the legacy of brutal Mughal rulers and questioning calls to restore Bharat’s indigenous cultural heritage. In a March 2023 interview, he brushed off historical atrocities by challenging critics to demolish iconic structures like the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, and Qutub Minar if they considered Mughal rule evil, while also mocking political discussions surrounding Tipu Sultan and the historic Ram Mandir.
Shah has a long history of making disparaging personal remarks against actors and public figures who express nationalist or pro-Hindu views. In a resurfaced interview clip that went viral during public debates around the Ram Temple, Shah referred to fellow actor Anupam Kher as a “clown” simply for holding patriotic political opinions and standing up for Hindu causes.
Bollywood music composer Vishal Dadlani openly backed the Cockroach Janta Party by joining their political demonstration at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on October 2, 2026. Armed with anti-government slogans like “Go Gyaanu Go,” Dadlani attacked Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and used his celebrity platform to amplify CJP’s anti-establishment campaign.
When proposals were made to place images of Maa Lakshmi and Bhagwan Ganesha on Indian currency notes as symbols of national prosperity, Dadlani strongly opposed the move. Invoking secularism, he publicly declared that religion must have no place in governance, routinely taking a hardline stance whenever suggestions honouring Hindu faith and heritage are brought into public discourse.
In August 2016, Dadlani sparked massive anger across the Hindu and Jain communities after making deeply disrespectful remarks about revered Jain monk Muni Tarun Sagar Maharaj following his address to the Haryana Assembly. Dadlani mocked the monk’s traditional practice of sky-clad renunciation with vulgar quips. Facing severe social media backlash and legal action from the High Court, Dadlani was forced to visit the monk in person to fold his hands, bow his head, and apologise.
Dadlani drew further ire by sarcastically mocking a 10-hour parliamentary debate held to mark the 150th anniversary of Bharat’s national song, ‘Vande Mataram.’ He posted a video ridiculing the discussion on national pride as a waste of taxpayer money. Additionally, following the Supreme Court’s refusal of bail to 2020 Delhi riots accused Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, Dadlani defended Khalid in a viral video, claiming that evidence against the riots accused had been fabricated.
Veteran actress and activist Shabana Azmi lent her support to the Cockroach Janta Party’s student wing by joining their “Chalo Sansad” march in Delhi. Appearing alongside CJP-backed student groups, she used her public stature to bolster the party’s street protests and political agitations.
Azmi faced intense criticism from devout Hindus for mixing Islamic terminology with sacred Hindu deities during Navratri. On Durga Ashtami, she posted a message praying to “Allah” regarding revered Hindu goddesses like Lakshmi, Durga, Parvati, Saraswati, and Kali while invoking “Insha Allah.” Believers condemned the post as an intentional trivialisation and disrespect of sacred Hindu traditions.
Following the historic Supreme Court ruling that paved the way for the grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Azmi was among a group of prominent Muslim figures who publicly opposed the filing of review petitions. While presented as a call to move on, critics viewed her public posturing as an effort to gloss over centuries of cultural struggle and historical injustice faced by the Hindu community.
Azmi drew sharp backlash after posting an image of a Cambodian statue of Lord Ganesha to lecture Indian society on social ills like untouchability. Critics pointed out her hypocrisy in using a foreign Cambodian sculpture with a distinct iconographic history to single out and defame Indian Hindus, highlighting a pattern of selectively targeting Hindu cultural heritage.
Sonam Wangchuk, an activist and innovator from Ladakh, received significant backing from the Cockroach Janta Party during his extended hunger strikes and campaigns over educational exams and local administrative issues. CJP mobilised its political and digital machinery to amplify Wangchuk’s agitations across the country.
In March 2024, Wangchuk caused immense outrage among Hindus nationwide by making highly offensive remarks about Bhagwan Ram and Mata Sita. During a political commentary aimed at attacking the Central government, Wangchuk distastefully claimed that Bhagwan Ram rescued Maa Sita from Ravan only to put her up for sale in an open market. Believers vehemently condemned him for using sacred Hindu deities to score cheap political points.
Wangchuk’s public image suffered a severe blow after law enforcement agencies and local administration highlighted serious national security concerns regarding his activities. The Leh District Magistrate informed the Supreme Court that Wangchuk was involved in instigating violent protests in Leh that resulted in four deaths and over 100 injuries. Official reports also flagged his alleged connections with foreign intelligence operatives, raising alarm over his activist campaigns.
Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan, the Member of Parliament from Nagina, Uttar Pradesh, and founder of the Bhim Army, has aligned himself with the Cockroach Janta Party. He publicly backed CJP activists following an incident involving the father of a party protester, personally accompanying CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka to the Parliament Street Police Station in Delhi to exert pressure on law enforcement.
Azad sparked widespread criticism among devout Hindus by targeting the sacred Kanwar Yatra. In an interview with NDTV, he questioned why roads are permitted to remain open for pilgrims during the 10 to 15 days of the traditional Kanwar Yatra, contrasting it with brief restrictions placed on public roads for Eid prayers. Critics called out his stance for attacking an ancient Hindu pilgrimage while turning a blind eye to public convenience issues caused by congregational street prayers.
During a public event held in the holy city of Ayodhya, Azad made headlines by openly promoting the slogan “I Love Muhammad” and declaring that he was ready to go to jail for it. Devout Hindus viewed his choice of platform and rhetoric as a deliberate attempt to provoke religious sentiments in one of Sanatana Dharma’s most sacred spiritual centres.
TMC Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra joined hands with the Cockroach Janta Party on 24 July 2026, participating in their Jantar Mantar demonstration over examination controversies. Moitra used the platform provided by CJP to launch scathing personal attacks on Union Ministers and advance her party’s political agenda.
Moitra provoked intense national outrage after endorsing a deeply offensive social media post targeting Hindus and their most sacred festival. Responding with an explicit “I agree” to a post that described Indians as “braindead” and branded Diwali as “retarded Deepawali garbage,” Moitra faced fierce backlash from millions of believers for validating colonial-era contempt and hatred toward traditional Hindu celebrations.
Moitra drew severe condemnation from Hindus across the country after making controversial remarks about Goddess Kali during a public conclave,
