The Centre is preparing to take action against the Instagram account linked to the viral satirical platform “Cockroach Janta Party,” following the blocking of its X (formerly Twitter) handle in India over alleged national security concerns, government officials have said.
According to a senior official, while the Instagram page remains accessible in India for now, action against it is “underway.” As of Thursday evening, the account had amassed more than 16 million followers, making it significantly more influential than its presence on X, where it had crossed around 200,000 followers globally.
The development comes shortly after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) directed X to withhold the account under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. The order was issued following inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which reportedly flagged the account for sharing “inflammatory content.”
Officials stated that the IB raised concerns about posts that could potentially threaten India’s sovereignty and national security. “MeitY received input from the IB to block the X account, citing that it posed a threat to the sovereignty of India,” a senior official said, requesting anonymity due to the confidential nature of such orders.
The official further added that the agency believed the platform’s content had the potential to disrupt public order, especially given its growing popularity among younger audiences. The rapid rise of the satirical page and its high engagement levels are understood to have contributed to the urgency of the action.
While the X account has been withheld within India, it continues to remain accessible outside the country in line with platform-specific geo-restriction policies. The blocking request was reportedly initiated when the account had around 90,000 followers, indicating that authorities acted early in response to its rising influence.
In contrast, the associated Instagram account has seen exponential growth, crossing an estimated 19 million followers—surpassing even the official Instagram page of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This sharp rise has made it one of the most followed satire-based accounts in the Indian digital ecosystem.
Government officials indicated that similar action against the Instagram handle is likely, with the process currently in motion. However, no official blocking order for Instagram had been confirmed at the time of reporting.
The legal framework for such action is rooted in Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, which empowers the government to restrict access to online content in the interest of sovereignty, national security, and public order. The process is governed by the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009. Orders issued under these provisions are typically confidential.
The emergence of “Cockroach Janta Party” comes in the backdrop of recent public discourse triggered by remarks from Chief Justice of India Surya Kant about individuals who “attack the system.” The satire platform quickly gained traction for its political commentary, blending humor with sharp criticism, which resonated strongly with digital audiences.
As the situation develops, the potential blocking of the Instagram account could further intensify debates around free speech, satire, and regulatory oversight in India’s rapidly evolving social media landscape.
