India, July 24 -- A social media post on Instagram by Sonia Sehrawat, a Rapid Action Force (RAF) Assistant Commandant, has sparked a political controversy after she mocked protesters from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), who have been leading demonstrations in the post. The controversy began when Sehrawat, who has a significant following of over six hundred thousand on Instagram, shared a story that many saw as an attack on the protesters. The officer was part of the RAF's riot control team during the student protest march to Parliament earlier this week. She posted a picture of what looked like a dead cockroach with the caption, "Can't fix themselves, and they wanna fix the country." The post attracted immediate criticism online before it was deleted.
The CJP condemned the post, claiming it showed the officer's disrespect toward peaceful demonstrators. In a statement on X, the party said, "This RAF official actually sees the peaceful protesters as cockroaches and thinks the police brutality was justified because of that." They added, "But you see, we are cockroaches. And cockroaches never die!" This incident occurs amid rising protests in the national capital. Thousands of students marched to Parliament on Monday during the start of the Monsoon Session. The demonstrations escalated after police used tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd. The situation has raised concerns about the conduct rules for government personnel on social media.
Current guidelines advise officers against making political comments or using personal insults, especially while performing official duties. The rules also discourage personnel from using uniformed photographs as profile pictures on personal social media accounts. Reports citing unnamed CRPF officers suggest that this post might lead to disciplinary action. Some officials believe such public political statements by serving personnel harm the image of the force. Despite the controversy, Sehrawat has built a large online presence by posting about her travels, fitness, religious visits, fashion, motorcycle rides, and motivational content.
Her account includes videos of beach trips, temple visits, interactions with students, and lifestyle posts that have garnered significant engagement. The officer Sehrawat claimed that "rowdy individuals" and political party members had infiltrated the demonstration. She stated that protesters threw stones, bottles, and other objects at security personnel and claimed she was injured while protecting women protesters. With her arm in a cast, she also said some protesters scratched her, attributing her injuries to the violence. Earlier, during a podcast, she discussed overcoming a severe training injury that required fifty-two stitches, describing it as a pivotal moment in her career.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.