By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: A lecture by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant at Birkbeck, University of London on June 4 saw a brief disturbance after a sharp exchange erupted between some participants and organisers.
The discussion centred on allegations of limited space for dissent in India and remarks previously made by the CJI referring to “cockroach”.
The situation unfolded during the question-and-answer session that followed his address on “Artificial Intelligence and International Law”.
During the interaction, one participant raised concerns about the state of democratic freedoms in India, suggesting that growing unease over dissent had been noted by observers both within the country and abroad. Video clips shared online show the attendee saying,
“We now hear from a number of legal observers within the country as well as internationally that there’s a great deal of concern about growing hostility to dissent within India. And it does seem that this hostility is somewhat reflected in His Lordship’s speech and it’s very well publicised.”
Another attendee then brought up the CJI’s earlier reference to “cockroach” made on May 15.
The moderator stepped in shortly after and ended the exchange, stating,
“With all due respect, I would not be able to take up that question since the topic is concerning artificial intelligence and international law.”
Visuals from the venue show moments of disorder, with several attendees standing and gesturing during the exchange. Organisers were also heard asking the audience to maintain calm, saying,
“Please, let’s just calm and put an end to this, can we? Thank you.”
After the incident, the High Commission of India in the United Kingdom issued a statement on Friday criticising the disruption.
It said the session had begun with a constructive discussion following the lecture, before being interrupted by an attendee. The statement read,
“Such indecorous behaviour is unacceptable and inconsistent with respectful engagement that should govern public discourse. Differences of option are a natural part of a democratic society. However, they must be expressed in a manner that is civil and respectful,”
The “cockroach” reference was originally made by CJI Surya Kant during court proceedings on May 15, when he commented on unemployed youth drifting away from conventional career paths and engaging more with social media and Right to Information (RTI) activism.
In his remarks, he described such individuals “like cockroaches” as “parasites” in society, later clarifying that he was referring specifically to people using fake degrees while engaging in such activities.
The remarks quickly spread online and were also amplified by groups linked to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical movement formed around the comment.
The group has used the statement to raise issues related to unemployment and institutional accountability.
A protest has been planned by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) for June 6 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where the group intends to press for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, citing recent issues related to NEET and CBSE.