The Delhi High Court has opted not to prioritize an urgent hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) petition that sought preventive measures in anticipation of a protest organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) scheduled for June 6. This decision was rendered on Friday by a vacation bench comprising Justices Saurabh Banerjee and Amit Sharma.
The NGO Save India Foundation filed the plea, requesting the Court to consider regulatory and crowd-control actions related to the planned protest in Delhi. However, the Court did not find grounds to expedite the hearing process.
The CJP movement emerged following a Supreme Court session on May 15, during which Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant voiced his concerns about unemployed youth engaging heavily in social media and RTI activism. In his remarks, CJI Kant metaphorically compared these individuals to “cockroaches,” suggesting they were becoming societal parasites. He later clarified that his comments were directed at those holding fraudulent degrees who engage in such activities.
The CJP, founded by Abhijeet Dipke from Boston, USA, employs political satire to address issues like unemployment, governmental accountability, and media freedom. The group plans to assemble at Jantar Mantar on June 6, protesting against exam paper leaks linked to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and various controversies involving the CBSE board exams. The CJP is also demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
In its petition, the Save India Foundation expressed concerns that the gathering could potentially disrupt public peace and order. The plea argued that the organization’s activities aim to incite institutional defiance and hostility, escalating into hate speech and ultimatums against the government. The petition further cited the dissemination of messages that evoke recent civil unrest and structural collapses in countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
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The plea urged the Court to implement preventive, regulatory, and crowd-control measures at critical access points, including Indira Gandhi International Airport, metro stations, and highway entry points. Additionally, it requested that the protest be relocated to maintain public order and ensure that essential services remain unaffected.
It is noteworthy that the Save India Foundation has previously faced criticism from the Delhi High Court for filing what the Court deemed frivolous PILs, particularly those targeting mosques and dargahs.
