India’s Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Surya Kant, faced an uncomfortable moment in London after members of the audience questioned him about his earlier “cockroach” remark, leading to a brief commotion during a public interaction.
The incident occurred at Birkbeck, University of London, where the Chief Justice delivered a talk on “Artificial Intelligence and International Law”. During the discussion, some attendees also alleged that dissenting voices in India were being suppressed and raised concerns about democracy.
The questions were linked to comments Justice Surya Kant had made in court on May 15, when he criticised some “unemployed youth” for allegedly misusing social media and the Right to Information law, comparing them to cockroaches that harm society. After backlash, he clarified that he was referring only to those using fake degrees to seek promotions and social status, not to all youth.
Following the controversy, some social activists launched a satirical social media campaign under the name “Cockroach Janata Party”, using issues such as unemployment, NEET and CBSE question paper leak allegations to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Reacting to the London episode, the Indian High Commission said differences of opinion are natural in a democracy, but must be expressed in a civil manner. It stressed that basic decorum should be maintained in public discussions and that disrespectful conduct is unacceptable.
