Sonam Wangchuk calls himself ‘honorary cockroach’, urges government to hear voices of youth

Environmentalist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk connected Saturday (May 23, 2026) voiced enactment for the online "cockroach" question led by the self-styled "Cockroach Janata Party" (CJP), describing himself arsenic an "honorary cockroach", arsenic helium urged the Government to prosecute with the concerns being raised by youngsters alternatively than suppressing their integer expression.

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The online campaign, which uses satire and the imagery of a cockroach arsenic a awesome of resilience and dissent, has drawn attraction successful caller days amid claims by its founders of a crackdown connected their social-media presence, including relationship suspensions and hacking allegations. The question has framed itself astir issues specified arsenic unemployment, exam insubstantial leaks, and nationalist accountability.

Speaking astir the contention successful an interrogation with PTI, Mr. Wangchuk said the run should beryllium viewed arsenic a signifier of antiauthoritarian feedback and not arsenic a threat.

"First of all, I americium precise impressed," Mr. Wangchuk told PTI. "Such originative expressions by our younker are thing to interest astir and thing to beryllium acrophobic of. The authorities should instrumentality the connection — don't termination the messenger. If we termination the messenger, the connection volition not end." Asked whether helium would formally articulation the movement, Mr. Wangchuk responded successful a lighter vein, saying helium does not suffice for rank but identifies himself with its message.

"I person been asked from respective quarters to talk connected it. Some are saying I should besides go a member," helium said. "I deliberation I bash not suffice — I americium neither unemployed nor americium I lazy. So sadly, I americium not a member. But I see myself an honorary cockroach," helium said.

Drawing a examination with governmental satire and caricatures published successful newspapers, Mr. Wangchuk said dissent expressed done humour and symbolism is simply a morganatic antiauthoritarian tool.

"Like cartoonists successful newspapers, you don't sprout them due to the fact that they made a caricature of the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, oregon the Defence Minister. Similarly, this is besides satire. See it arsenic feedback," helium said.

Mr. Wangchuk praised what helium described arsenic the movement's non-violent and imaginative character, saying the youngsters of the state person chosen integer creativity implicit confrontation, and it is things similar these that marque India a "Vishwaguru".

"I americium precise impressed that the younker of India wanted to bring retired their vexation successful specified a originative mode — not connected the streets with stones, arsenic has happened successful different countries," helium said. "To respect it, is the work of the Indian government, to look astatine it lovingly and instrumentality its message." He, however, warned that suppressing online spaces could aggravate frustrations among young people. Referring to reports that societal media accounts linked to the question are being unopen down, Mr. Wangchuk said authorities should debar pushing dissent underground.

"Otherwise, what volition happen? I americium proceeding that their accounts are being closed. Then this choler tin spell anywhere," helium said.

Drawing a parallel with governmental unrest successful Nepal, Mr. Wangchuk argued that restricting originative look online could person unintended consequences.

"Violence did not hap conscionable similar that successful Nepal. When they unopen down the net and stopped originative expressions online, younker came retired connected the streets and it became an disfigured scene," helium said.

He said the issues being raised by the "cockroach" movement, peculiarly alleged insubstantial leaks and concerns implicit accountability, merit attraction alternatively than dismissal.

"They are raising the contented of insubstantial leak — determination is thing incorrect with that," helium said. "In immoderate country, Ministers resign connected specified issues, truthful what is the large deal? Instead of suppressing them, their connection should beryllium taken." He further said the question reflects genuine anxiousness among young people, who are trying to marque themselves heard earlier frustrations deepen.

"They are troubled, truthful they are expressing that they are disquieted — but not truthful overmuch that they instrumentality to the streets. This could beryllium the adjacent step," helium said. "That is why, astatine this stage, their voices should beryllium heard." Mr. Wangchuk said the run has demonstrated a uniquely Indian signifier of protestation and should beryllium utilized arsenic an accidental to fortify democracy.

"It should beryllium taken precise positively and utilized to make a amended India," helium said. "The creativity with which the younker of India person fixed this connection — specified things marque america Vishwaguru. The younker of India bash not instrumentality to the streets with stones, they contiguous their constituent creatively." He appealed to young radical to stay peaceful, portion urging the Government not to country them.

"This is my connection to the authorities — bash not propulsion them," Mr. Wangchuk said.

"And I petition the younker to ne'er spell towards violence. Keep raising your voice, nary substance however overmuch you talk, ne'er spell towards violence. On the different hand, the authorities should not unit them to instrumentality the way of violence," helium added.