Thanks for free publicity: Dipke takes a dig at Delhi's cockroach effigy event

A giant cockroach effigy was burnt at a Pitampura Ramlila, prompting CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke's sarcastic response. The episode gained political significance amid protests over electoral rolls, unemployment and governance.

The cockroach effigy was burnt on Tuesday evening at the Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee’s event at Netaji Subhash Place in Pitampura. (File Photo: ITG)

New Delhi,Oct 21, 2026 09:53 IST

The burning of a giant cockroach effigy alongside Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad during Dussehra celebrations in Delhi’s Pitampura has sparked a political row, with Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke responding with a sarcastic message thanking the organisers for the publicity.

“Thank you for the free publicity,” Dipke tweeted, reacting to the controversy surrounding the unusual addition to the traditional Dussehra ritual.

Dipke also shared a scene from Shah Rukh Khan’s film Swades, in which the actor’s character, Mohan Bhargava, says, “Mann se Raavan jo nikale, Ram uske mann mein hai (One who removes Ravana from the mind has Ram within)."

The dialogue draws on the festival’s traditional message of the triumph of good over evil.

The cockroach effigy was burnt on Tuesday evening at the Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee’s event at Netaji Subhash Place in Pitampura. The incident drew attention amid the CJP’s ongoing protests over electoral rolls, unemployment and governance.

WHY WAS A COCKROACH EFFIGY BURNT ALONGSIDE RAVANA?

The Ramlila committee has said the cockroach symbolised filth and dirt, and that the initiative was intended to promote cleanliness under the Swachh Bharat and Swachh Delhi campaigns. Ashok Goel, the committee’s president and a BJP MLA, denied that the decision was politically motivated.

However, the timing of the event has prompted speculation about a connection with the CJP, which has adopted the cockroach as a symbol for its political movement.

The party has been organising protests over a range of issues, including employment opportunities for young people and the revision of electoral rolls.

The committee has maintained that the effigy was about cleanliness, while Dipke’s response turned the episode into a fresh moment of online political satire.

CJP PROTESTS OVER ELECTORAL ROLLS, UNEMPLOYMENT

The controversy comes after nearly two weeks of demonstrations led by the CJP and student organisations in several cities. The movement has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the revision of electoral rolls, which protesters say has disadvantaged voters and favoured the BJP.

The Election Commission has denied favouring any political party and has said that voters whose names were wrongly deleted can re-enrol. The BJP has accused the protesters of questioning legitimate electoral processes to undermine the government.

On October 11, police detained hundreds of protesters in Delhi for a second consecutive day as demonstrations continued over the demand for Kumar’s resignation.

Dipke and other CJP leaders, who had been detained earlier, were released following a court order. Dipke subsequently said the movement would return to the streets.

The protests escalated again on October 16, when Dipke was taken into preventive detention ahead of a planned march in central Delhi. Student activist Neha Bora and other supporters were also detained as protesters gathered at Connaught Place, waving national flags and demanding the poll chief’s resignation.

The demonstrations followed the detention and imprisonment of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka for five days after they protested at a site where demonstrations were prohibited.

COCKROACH BECOMES SYMBOL OF POLITICAL PROTEST

The CJP emerged as a youth-led movement using the cockroach as a symbol of resistance. Its activities have included protests over unemployment, school infrastructure, examination issues and electoral transparency. The movement also held a prolonged sit-in earlier this year over examination paper leaks, which it said contributed to pressure on the government over the issue.

The unusual effigy at the Pitampura Ramlila has therefore taken on a political significance beyond the organisers’ stated cleanliness message.

Dipke’s response, particularly his remark about free publicity, has added another layer to the debate.

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