Kafka’s Metamorphosis came in 1915 and after one century it has come full circle and manifested itself in the latest political upheaval of Gen Z in the shape of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Kafka’s Gregor Samsa became a cockroach and lost his voice. India’s young “cockroaches” have turned the metaphor around: they have found a voice precisely by embracing what was meant to humiliate them. Conformity, compromise and abdication of choice had reduced them to the status of insects. But cockroaches breed cockroaches, so never underestimate the power of cockroaches in great numbers. Government could never realize that cockroaches can climb walls and walk on the ceilings and can see the world from entire new angles. True to Kafka’s story, government threw apples on them which, being a biblical symbol of knowledge, only increased their vision besides giving them wounds which never healed like that of Kafka’s hero. Chief Justice’s despising remarks, as told in old shamanic tradition, created a bridge between them and the unseen world. They experienced reality in a way not known to them before, when a new world of perceptions opened before them.
This fact cannot be ignored that the insult was only the spark. The underlying deep fuel was huge which comprised of examination scandals, unemployment, competitive-exam pressures, inequality, distrust on institutions and a feeling among the young that their concerns were not adequately represented by political parties. The NEET protest was already underway when CJP got its birth. Genuine grievances with internet culture played the midwifery role. Memes and social media brought common people to streets who otherwise refrain from being a part of any political rally. Satire also played a part. A new satirical political vocabulary was coined. An internet joke sparked a political upheaval which was politically serious while deliberately using humor. The “cockroach” became a symbol of young people who felt ignored but refused to disappear.
This movement has a distinct feature that it started without an established political leadership or conventional party. The second point of distinction was that it was a purely Gen Z affair with not a single drop of old blood. It is regarded to be a successful movement as it achieved its objectives which however were short term. But it by no means, can be safely compared with Gen Z movements in Bangladesh and Nepal because those had a broader canvas and high goals. The CJP movement is may be excellent at mobilizing anger, but may not be effective at converting that anger into policy. The protestors are easy to unite under the banner “we are angry” than to create a clear vision that what the new political system must look like.
This ripple in the political waters was long awaited in a society torn by religious, ethnic, and caste divides, and it may pave the way for those who lacked the courage to voice their grievances but had never been able to do so for years.
Moreover, this movement has members who might agree on agenda of examination reforms but they come from back grounds which may not converge to one point on economics, religion, nationalism, caste, foreign policy or the role of government etc. Nevertheless, they surely succeeded in bringing issue of examination transparency and youth grievances to the center of political discussion not only in their own country but worldwide. This ripple in the political waters was long awaited in a society torn by religious, ethnic, and caste divides, and it may pave the way for those who lacked the courage to voice their grievances but had never been able to do so for years. Ironically, Kafka’s protagonist was reduced to an insect paying his father’s debt but they, conversely, after being condemned as cockroaches paid a portion of their forefathers’ debt which was long outstanding.
Book of history has other chapters as well. We have seen many leaderless movements in the past which fizzled away without leaving a great mark. Arab Spring of 2010-2012 is one such example which initially produced major change in some countries but later faded away. Similar were the Occupy Wall Street movement of 2011 in USA, Hong Kong Umbrella Movement of 2014 and Yellow Vest Movement in France in 2018-2019. These movements demonstrated that leaderless mass mobilization can generate enormous public pressure, but without proper political hierarchy, sustainable organization and institutional mechanisms for achieving demands, movements may eventually fragment, lose momentum, or fade away without producing major political change.
CJP faces a huge political dilemma which is a catch 22 situation for it. If it remains just a protest movement, it won’t have the institutional power to implement reforms. And if it becomes an electoral party, it risks becoming exactly what many of its supporters dislike i-e another political party with corrupt leaders, funding networks, multiple groupings and electoral compromises. Besides, being a leaderless party, it also faces existential threat. Once the immediate issues like NEET or examination issue loses urgency, ideological and leadership disputes would prop up which can break the movement into competing factions. This fate will be no different from the fate of many leaderless mass movements in the past. If the cockroaches die or get removed, the system will be thrown back to its original form as predicted by Franz Kafka.