Guwahati, October 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A cockroach effigy was reportedly burnt alongside Ravana’s effigy during a Dussehra-related event in Rupahihat in Assam’s Nagaon district, drawing attention amid the controversy surrounding the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), officials said on Wednesday.
Visuals circulating on social media showed an effigy being set ablaze at a decorated venue, with an image of a cockroach also visible. However, details about the event’s organisers, the circumstances surrounding the act and their stated reasons were not immediately available.
The incident comes amid a wider debate over the cockroach’s emergence as a symbol of protest in India. The CJP, a youth-led satirical movement founded by Abhijeet Dipke, gained prominence following a controversial remark by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during court proceedings involving unemployed youth.
The remark triggered criticism and inspired the movement, which has used the cockroach as a symbol of resilience while drawing attention to unemployment, economic insecurity and the concerns of young people.
Although the movement’s name and online campaigns resemble those of a political party, its founder has described it as a youth pressure group rather than a conventional political outfit.
The Assam incident follows a similar episode in Delhi earlier this week, when a Ramlila committee in Pitampura burnt a giant cockroach effigy alongside the traditional effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad.
Organisers of the Delhi event said the cockroach represented dirt and unhygienic conditions and linked the initiative to cleanliness campaigns. However, the act also attracted political attention because of the insect’s association with the CJP movement.
The reported burning of the cockroach effigy in Assam adds another development to the debate over the use of the insect as a symbol, with its significance varying according to the context in which it is displayed.
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