Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke has intensified the debate around Samay Raina’s India’s Got Latent by saying he would not appear on the show and describing the comedian as “privileged” during a conversation on Unfiltered by Samdish.
Dipke’s remarks have moved quickly across social media, drawing support from viewers who see the show as emblematic of elite creator culture and criticism from others who questioned whether his own background weakens the argument. The exchange has widened a running argument over comedy, class, digital celebrity and the limits of provocation in online entertainment.
Asked whether he would go on India’s Got Latent, Dipke said he would not, adding that he did not like the format. His comment on Raina’s privilege became the flashpoint, as clips from the interview were shared widely and prompted renewed scrutiny of both men’s public images.
Raina’s programme, which blends talent-show performance with roast-style humour, returned for a second season on June 20 with Alia Bhatt and Sharvari appearing in the opening episode linked to the promotion of Alpha. The comeback followed a turbulent period for the show after last year’s controversy involving podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia’s remarks on an episode, which triggered public anger, police complaints and court scrutiny.
The show’s return has been watched closely because India’s Got Latent had already become a test case in the broader debate over online content, humour and accountability. Its supporters argue that Raina has built a distinctive creator-led format outside television’s conventional gatekeeping, while critics say the programme often rewards shock value and allows offensive humour to be defended as irreverence.
Dipke’s intervention adds a political edge to that entertainment debate. The Cockroach Janta Party began as a satirical youth movement in May and has used spectacle, protest and online mobilisation to attack what it describes as failures in education governance and employment opportunities. The group has held demonstrations over alleged examination irregularities and youth unemployment, including protests in Delhi, Lucknow and Jaipur.
Dipke himself has become a highly visible figure within that mobilisation. He was slapped and manhandled during a protest in Jaipur on June 15 before addressing supporters at Shaheed Smarak. Police detained suspects after the incident, while Dipke alleged that the attack was politically motivated. The episode raised his profile beyond the student protest circuit and pushed CJP further into national attention.
His comments on Raina therefore arrive at a moment when CJP is trying to position itself as an anti-establishment voice for young people frustrated by examinations, jobs and access to power. By calling Raina privileged, Dipke appeared to frame the show not merely as entertainment but as part of a wider cultural order in which visibility and opportunity are unevenly distributed.
The backlash to Dipke has focused on his own personal history. Online users pointed to reports about his past association with Aam Aadmi Party circles and his decision to study public relations at Boston University, arguing that these details complicate his critique of privilege. His supporters countered that educational background does not disqualify a person from criticising elite influence in media or politics.
Raina has not built his career only through stand-up comedy. He gained prominence after winning Comicstaan Season 2 in 2019 and expanded his reach through online chess streaming during the Covid period, before moving deeper into creator-led comedy formats. India’s Got Latent became one of his most recognisable ventures because it combined audience participation, off-script humour and viral clips suited to short-form platforms.
That model has also made the show vulnerable to controversy. The Allahbadia episode placed the programme under legal and public scrutiny, while old clips and new audience interactions have continued to circulate as evidence in arguments over sexist jokes, crude remarks and content moderation. The second season’s celebrity-led opening episode drew praise from fans but also criticism from viewers who felt the format had become more scripted and mainstream.
