New Delhi: YouTuber Dhruv Rathee’s entry into India’s protest scene, particularly his announcement to join the Cockroach Janta Party for the upcoming 10 October protest in New Delhi, was like a surprise cameo in a blockbuster movie. The surprise video announcing his visit to India went viral, reportedly garnering 6.4 million likes on Instagram and more than 1,25,000 comments.
The first video featuring Rathee, shared by CJP founder and convenor Abhijeet Dipke, introduced the influencer as a surprise guest ahead of the Bengaluru protest at Freedom Park. The demonstration, which occurred on 8 October, called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
Dipke, who had reached Bengaluru ahead of Thursday’s demonstration, teased viewers with a “surprise”.
“I am in Bangalore for tomorrow’s protest, but before that, I have a surprise for you,” he said in the video shared on Wednesday night.
Rathee appeared on screen, describing the agitation as “a fight to protect democracy.” In his signature YouTube video style, Rathee addressed his audience directly, blending his familiar online persona with an appeal for on-ground participation.
“Namaskar dosto, yeh loktantra ko bachane ki ladai hai (Hello friends, this fight is to save democracy)… Let’s meet tomorrow, 8 October, at Freedom Park in Bengaluru. And those living in Delhi, don’t forget to come to Jantar Mantar on 10 October,” he said.
Rathee commands a massive digital following across platforms, with 19.2 million followers on Instagram, 3.3 million on X and 33 million subscribers on YouTube.
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Views, questions and mockery
On 8 October, shortly after participating in the Bengaluru protest, Rathee shared a photograph on social media, drawing attention to the crowd’s size and wondering what the turnout in Delhi would look like. The post attracted 33,000 likes and 4,400 reshares,
In another video, Rathee held a microphone in one hand and a selfie stick in the other as he addressed the gathering. What followed was a call-and-response moment that quickly caught attention online.
“Vote chor”, he said, prompting the crowd to complete the slogan by shouting “gaddi chor”.
The video also gained significant traction on X, garnering 88,000 likes and more than 17,000 reposts, accompanied by the caption, “Hello @narendramodi India has a message for you.”
The same video on Instagram attracted 2.9 million likes and 41,200 comments.
Rathee’s surprise India visit video was also accompanied by actor Prakash Raj. He appeared on screen, adding another high-profile face to the campaign. Raj has also earlier campaigned against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and backed CJP’s protests at Jantar Mantar.
Bringing a cinematic flourish to the video, the actor delivered a Singham-inspired dialogue targeting Kumar.
“Aali re aali, Gyanu, aata tujhi baari aali (Now it’s your turn, Gyanu),” the actor said.
Adding a sweet twist to an otherwise politically charged day, another video shared by Dipke on Thursday captured the YouTuber cutting a chocolate cake at a restaurant.
“Happy birthday and happy first protest @dhruvrathee!”, Dipke wrote in the caption, blending birthday wishes with Rathee’s first on-ground protest appearance. The post soon struck a chord with social media users, racking up more than 9,62,000 likes and thousands of comments, as fans and supporters flooded the comments section with birthday wishes.
Rathee’s latest post on X came amid reports of restrictions affecting metro and railway stations in Delhi ahead of the 10 October protest. Questioning the reported measures, the YouTuber slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the response to the planned demonstration contradicted claims that the protest would attract only a small crowd.
“Why are you so scared, Modi? Your IT cell told us that hardly anyone will come to our protest, so why all these measures?”, he posted on X Friday. The post quickly gained traction, reportedly attracting 44,000 likes, 9,100 reposts and more than 2,200 comments within just one hour, adding to the growing online conversation surrounding Rathee’s participation and the upcoming Delhi protest.
Rathee left India around 2014-2015 to pursue higher education in Germany, where he completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He has since been based outside India, building a substantial online following through videos covering politics, public policy and current affairs.
Rathee has always been known for his outspoken criticism of the BJP-led government. He has frequently addressed contentious political issues through his videos. For a long time, Rathee had faced calls—and mockery—from people urging him not merely to make videos about India while living abroad, but also to return and participate in on-the-ground protests.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)