Goa, May 21 -- The Cockroach Janata Party began as a slice of online satire after Chief Justice Surya Kant's stinging remark comparing jobless youngsters-turned-activists to "cockroaches." What was meant as mockery has been turned on its head: within days the parody matured into a full-blown political outfit that many now wear as a badge of defiance.

Born on social media and steered by 30-year-old Abhijeet Dipke, a political communication strategist who studied journalism in Pune and public relations at Boston University, the movement carries a distinctly homegrown rhythm. Dipke told The Red Mike that hearing the slur gave people a raw clarity about how they were perceived. Instead of shrinking, they reclaimed the name, folding insult in...