Cockroach Janta Party Leads Gen Z Protest Against Election Official

Neha Bora, a 29-year-old PhD student and theatre artist, is at the forefront of a growing movement of young protesters in India, demanding the resignation of the country's top election official, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The protests, which began in recent days, have been called by the Cockroach Janta Party, a Gen Z-led online satirical movement. Neha, who has been with the All India Students' Association (Aisa), a Left-wing organisation known for campus politics, for the past decade, has been a key figure in the protests.

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"I know it happened in front of the camera so it seems like it's something different," Neha said in a recent BBC Bangla interview. "But I have seen all student activists with the Left doing the same things that I have been doing. It's just that there is a camera on me, so people think something different is happening."

Neha's involvement with Aisa and leftist politics has led to "lots of disagreements with my family as my parents are staunch supporters of BJP," they said. However, Neha remains committed to the cause, stating, "The streets have always dictated the course of politics in this country and they will continue to do so, more so in the coming few years."

The protests, which have been met with police crackdowns, have earned Neha a reputation for being a street fighter. Despite the challenges, Neha remains determined, saying, "If we look at the social changes of the recent past, those social changes did not come from people sitting in parliament; they came from the streets."

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Neha Bora has been a key figure in the protests against paper leaks and education reforms, which began in the summer.

Police in Uttar Pradesh state have responded to recent protests with force. With at least three BJP officials filing complaints against Neha. Alleging she made comments critical of the chief minister, sparking concerns about the government's handling of dissent.