'To mislead youth': CJI Surya Kant says cockroach remark was misused

NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has addressed concerns surrounding his oral remarks during a Supreme Court hearing, which were "misquoted" and later used with "malicious intent" to mislead the country's youth. The controversy arose from a comment that sparked the satirical online movement "Cockroach Janta Party". Kant explained that his original comment was not fully captured in the short clips of court proceedings circulated on social media without the necessary context.

He expressed concern over the misuse of his words and urged citizens to fulfill their constitutional duties and responsibilities, maintaining harmony in society. The remarks, made on May 15 during a Supreme Court hearing, compared certain individuals with fraudulent degrees to "cockroaches" who become activists to attack the system.

This sparked widespread backlash among young people, leading to the "Cockroach Janta Party" movement, which organized protests at Jantar Mantar over the NEET-UG paper leak. The protests lasted over a month and culminated in clashes with police, resulting in injuries on both sides. The unrest also preceded the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.