Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke reacted on Tuesday after a 30-foot cockroach effigy appeared at a Delhi Ramlila. Dipke said, "Thank you for the free publicity." While the committee claims the effigy promotes cleanliness, the satirical party uses the insect to highlight issues faced by unemployed youth in India.

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Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday reacted after a video showed a giant cockroach effigy at Delhi's Pritampura, where it is reportedly set to be burnt during Dussehra celebrations.

Responding to the video on X, Dipke wrote, "Thank you for the free publicity."

The video, shared by ANI, showed the effigy at the Netaji Subhash Place (NSP) grounds in Pitampura, North West Delhi. According to the report, the Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee plans to burn a 30-foot-tall cockroach effigy along with the traditional effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad on Dussehra.

The Cockroach Janta Party was launched by Dipke in May this year as a satirical political initiative. The party uses the cockroach as its symbol to raise public issues through humour and political commentary.

The movement started after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant reportedly compared unemployed youth to "cockroaches" and "parasites of society".

Following the remark, the insect became a symbol used by the party to highlight issues faced by unemployed youth.

The development comes at a time when the CJP has been holding protests in Delhi, including demonstrations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

However, the organisers of the Ramlila event have denied that the cockroach effigy has any political connection.

Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee president and BJP MLA Ashok Goel said the cockroach symbolises filth and dirt and is part of the Swachh Bharat and Swachh Delhi campaigns. He added that the committee had earlier burnt effigies representing Naxalism and terrorism, PTI reported.

Goel said the aim is to spread the message of cleanliness by removing dirt from homes, neighbourhoods and society, while also highlighting the victory of good over evil during Dussehra.