New Delhi | Environmentalist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk on Saturday voiced support for the online "cockroach" movement led by the self-styled "Cockroach Janata Party" (CJP), describing himself as an "honorary cockroach", as he urged the government to engage with the concerns being raised by youngsters rather than suppressing their digital expression.
The online campaign, which uses satire and the imagery of a cockroach as a symbol of resilience and dissent, has drawn attention in recent days amid claims by its founders of a crackdown on their social-media presence, including account suspensions and hacking allegations. The movement has framed itself around issues, such as unemployment, exam paper leaks and public accountability.
Speaking on the controversy in an interview with PTI, Wangchuk said the campaign should be viewed as a form of democratic feedback and not as a threat.
"First of all, I am very impressed," Wangchuk told PTI.
"Such creative expressions by our youth are nothing to worry about and nothing to be afraid of. The government should take the message -- don't kill the messenger. If we kill the messenger, the message will not end."
Asked whether he would formally join the movement, Wangchuk responded in a lighter vein, saying he does not qualify for membership but identifies himself with its message.
"I have been asked from several quarters to speak on it. Some are saying I should also become a member," he said. "I think I do not qualify -- I am neither unemployed nor am I lazy. So sadly, I am not a member. But I consider myself an honorary cockroach," he said.
Drawing a comparison with political satire and caricatures published in newspapers, Wangchuk said dissent expressed through humour and symbolism is a legitimate democratic tool.
"Like cartoonists in newspapers, you don't shoot them because they made a caricature of the prime minister, the home minister or the defence minister. Similarly, this is also satire. See it as feedback," he said.
Wangchuk praised what he described as the movement's non-violent and imaginative character, saying the youngsters of the country have chosen digital creativity over confrontation and it is things like these that make India a "Vishwaguru".
"I am very impressed that the youth of India wanted to bring out their frustration in such a creative way -- not on the streets with stones, as has happened in other countries," he said. "To respect it is the duty of the Indian government, to look at it lovingly and take its message."
He, however, warned that suppressing online spaces could aggravate frustrations among young people. Referring to reports that social-media accounts linked to the movement are being shut down, Wangchuk said authorities should avoid pushing dissent underground.
"Otherwise, what will happen? I am hearing that their accounts are being closed. Then this anger can go anywhere," he said.
Drawing a parallel with political unrest in Nepal, Wangchuk argued that restricting creative expression online could have unintended consequences.
"Violence did not happen just like that in Nepal. When they shut down the internet and stopped creative expressions online, youth came out on the streets and it became an ugly scene," he said.
He said the issues being raised by the "cockroach" movement, particularly alleged paper leaks and concerns over accountability, deserve attention rather than dismissal.
"They are raising the issue of paper leak -- there is nothing wrong with that," he said. "In any country, ministers resign on such issues, so what is the big deal? Instead of suppressing them, their message should be taken."
Sonam Wangchuk rejects Ladakh LG's claims, reaffirms support to 'Cockroach Janta Party'He further said the movement reflects genuine anxiety among young people, who are trying to make themselves heard before frustrations deepen.
"They are troubled, so they are expressing that they are worried -- but not so much that they take to the streets. This could be the next step," he said. "That is why, at this stage, their voices should be heard."
Wangchuk said the campaign has demonstrated a uniquely Indian form of protest and should be used as an opportunity to strengthen democracy.
"It should be taken very positively and used to create a better India," he said. "The creativity with which the youth of India have given this message -- such things make us Vishwaguru. The youth of India do not take to the streets with stones, they present their point creatively."
He appealed to young people to remain peaceful, while urging the government not to corner them.
"This is my message to the government -- do not push them," Wangchuk said.
"And I request the youth to never go towards violence. Keep raising your voice, no matter how much you talk, never go towards violence. On the other hand, the government should not force them to take the path of violence," he added.
New Delhi | Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday asserted he considers himself an "honorary cockroach," as he rejected Ladakh Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's claim that he was "unsure" Sonam Wangchuk rejects Ladakh LG's claims, reaffirms support to 'Cockroach Janta Party'of the online movement's origins.
The remark came in response to a post by Saxena on Tuesday, following a meeting with Wangchuk and his wife and HIAL co-founder Gitanjali J Angmo.
The LG, in a post on X, said he cautioned Wangchuk against "weaving a misleading and provocative narrative" and claimed that the activist had accepted that comparing Ladakh with Manipur was an "error of judgement."
Saxena also claimed Wangchuk was unsure about the origins of the Cockroach Party, or CJP, and would "study the motivations of its founders and revisit his stand, if necessary."
Rejecting the assertions, Wangchuk told PTI that the meeting had been cordial and did not resemble the tone reflected in the LG's public remarks.
"The LG Ladakh invited us for some meeting over a cup of tea. We spent nearly an hour in a cordial and friendly atmosphere discussing his initiatives, our work and possibilities of collaboration," Wangchuk said.
He said Saxena raised his recent comments comparing Ladakh with Manipur and his support for the Cockroach Janta Party, but the interaction, Wangchuk said, did not carry any warning or reprimand.
"One hour after we left, we were surprised, and not very pleasantly, to see that he had tweeted in a tone as if he had censured us or cautioned us," he said.
Wangchuk said he believed the public messaging may have been intended to satisfy political expectations elsewhere.
"I thought this was maybe to please some boss somewhere in Delhi who had instructed him to call me up and say such things, but the meeting was none like this, only the tweet was," he said.
The educationist said he deliberately refrained from reacting immediately to what he called "childish behaviour", and chose to respond only on the third day after the remarks appeared in several newspapers.
He also rubbished the LG's claim on the Manipur comparison and said he never described the analogy as an "error of judgment."
"I don't think it is an error of my judgment. I still totally stand by it," he said, adding, he only said that the example was "avoidable" in the current context.
"Avoidable is very different from an error of judgment," Wangchuk said.
The leader against whom National Security Act was invoked strongly disputed the LG's assertion that he distanced himself from the CJP.
He said Saxena described the group as influenced or controlled by foreign powers and funded by external entities, allegations he neither accepted nor endorsed.
"I never said I was unsure of the origins and would revisit my stand that way," he asserted.
According to Wangchuk, Saxena termed the movement "unfortunate" and alleged that it was funded by entities such as the Soros Foundation, and foreign powers like Pakistan and Bangladesh.
"Inside me, I was laughing at this story that he was telling the person who was jailed under NSA with exactly such stories. You are supplying the same story to the person who was subjected to these," he said.
Wangchuk said he told the LG that governments should not feel insecure about such expressions and should instead engage with the concerns being voiced.
The Magsaysay award winner said, "I'm a huge admirer of Cockroach Party, and I remain the same... I stand by what I said that I am an honorary cockroach and I support it."
Wangchuk said he had merely indicated willingness to examine any evidence placed before him regarding the organisation's origins and said that openness to reviewing information should not be interpreted as withdrawal of support.
Appealing directly to the group's founder, Abhijeet Dipke, whom he referred to as 'cockroach-in-chief', Wangchuk said, "I'm formally asking Mr Dipke to give me the figures."
Dipke, founder of the satirical social media platform Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) that has evolved into an online movement, earlier rejected allegations that the campaign enjoys substantial foreign backing.
In posts on X, he shared audience analytics of the group's social media handles, claiming that over 94 per cent of its audience was from India and dismissed allegations of Pakistani or foreigners dominating its followership.
Wangchuk said the data should be placed before the public to settle the issue.
"If it is an Indian youth initiative with foreign following, I become an even bigger admirer and supporter... Even if 70 per cent are from India and the rest are spread in several countries, it makes India a vishvaguru at least in creative protests," he remarked.
Earlier, in his post, Saxena said both sides agreed that "an air of positivity" should be maintained in Ladakh, while cautioning that protests such as those that rocked the Union Territory last year could negatively affect tourism and economic activity.
His remarks come days after talks between Ladakh representatives and a Ministry of Home Affairs sub-committee.
In earlier interviews with PTI, Wangchuk said he feared Ladakh was headed towards divisions similar to Manipur before the recent talks improved the atmosphere.
