Non-binary ‘cockroach’ activist seen at CJP’s Jantar Mantar protest expelled from home by parents after clips went viral

Ujjwal Singh, one of the most talked-about faces from the CJP protest in Delhi, has revealed that his family asked him to leave home after clips showing him at CJP protest went viral
Ujjwal Singh (Image via Free Press Journal)

The much-discussed Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest held at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on 6th June was expected to draw massive crowds after weeks of hype on social media. The organisation, which has built a large online following, had announced the protest as a demonstration against issues in the education system, including controversies surrounding examinations and paper leaks.

Despite the low turnout, several clips from the protest quickly went viral online, making a few participants unexpectedly famous. One of the most talked-about faces from the event was 19-year-old Non-binary Ujjwal Singh.

Viral attention over T-shirt and identity

Ujjwal Singh became a social media talking point after videos from the protest began circulating online. Many users focused on the T-shirt he wore, which read “Life s**ks but I s**k better,” while others began questioning his appearance, mannerisms and sexuality. As his clips spread across different platforms, he became the target of widespread trolling and online abuse.

What initially began as discussions about education and student issues soon shifted towards personal attacks on Ujjwal. Many social media users mocked his gender expression and appearance, while others used offensive slurs and derogatory language against him.

The attention surrounding Ujjwal continued to grow, making him one of the most recognisable faces associated with the protest.

“My family asked me not to return home”

Now, in an interview with BBC Hindi, Ujjwal has revealed the personal consequences he faced after his videos went viral.

According to him, the trolling became so intense that his family eventually asked him to leave home. Ujjwal said he is currently staying with friends.

Recalling the difficult situation, he said, “I requested my family to let me stay at home at least until I completed my Class 12 examinations. After that, I told them I would leave if they wanted me to. I completed Class 12 and was planning to go to college. But the trolling kept increasing. It became so overwhelming that my family clearly told me that I no longer needed to come back home.”

“Why are people so interested in my identity?”

During the same interview, Ujjwal spoke about the online trolling and abuse he received after becoming a viral figure.

He said, “When I came home, there was so much trolling, so many abuses, so many hateful comments. People were telling me to commit suicide and saying all kinds of things. My identity is a very personal matter. Why are people so interested in it? If people really want to know, I identify as a non-binary person.”

According to Ujjwal, the online discussion moved away from the actual issues that protesters had gathered to discuss and instead became focused on his personal life and identity. He informed BBC that he has tried to contact his mother via WhatsApp but she has blocked him.

What was the CJP protest about?

The Cockroach Janta Party had organised the protest primarily around concerns related to India’s education system. Participants claimed that recurring examination controversies and paper leaks were affecting the future of students across the country.

However, the protest itself attracted controversy after anti-national “Azadi” slogans were raised by some participants. Journalists attempting to question protesters about the purpose of the gathering and the slogans were heckled and intimidated by sections of the crowd.

The protest turned out to be much smaller than many had expected. Only a limited number of supporters gathered at the venue, and in many instances, media personnel and police officials appeared to outnumber the protesters.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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