- Pune billboard compares Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar to CJP.
- BJP youth wing sponsored posters draw online criticism.
- Debate sparked over politicizing achievement, mocking surname.
A social media post has been going viral across the internet showing a billboard in Pune featuring Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar alongside the tagline, "When life gives you a chance, be a MACHCHHAR, not a cockroach." The poster appears to take a direct swipe at the Cockroach Janta Party.
The post was reportedly put up by the BJP's youth wing. The poster plays on the pilot's surname-"Machchhar," which means mosquito in Hindi while "cockroach" references the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical protest group founded by Abhijeet Dipke over exam paper leak issues.
The posters contrast Machchhar’s recent handling of a mid-flight co-pilot attack as an act of courageous persistence, comparing it unfavorably to the CJP's protest activities.
The post was shared by a tech professional who noted that banners are visible across "a lot of roads" in Pune, naming the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha as the sponsor. The post has garnered over 439,000 views and thousands of likes, while sparking intense debate and criticism online for politicising a personal achievement.
A lot of roads in Pune are covered with interesting posters. https://t.co/pHAy282dad
— Naveen (@NAVofNav) October 4, 2026
Some users criticised the posters, while one commenting that mocking a surname is degrading. Others argued for better government schools and subsidised pilot training so India needs neither "insect."
One user wrote, "Instead of spending on all these posters, they should patch all the roads and potholes Pune has!"
Another asked, "Isn't this disrespecting the surname?"
About Captain Smit Machchhar
Indian national and Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar was onboard flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 when his co-pilot allegedly attacked him mid-flight. He later recounted how he managed to manage the cockpit despite his injuries, drawing praise from public figures from global leaders to actors.
About the Cockroach Janta Party
The Gen Z-led satirical outfit CJP was formed in May after Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant referred to certain activists and unemployed youth as "cockroaches." He later clarified that he was misquoted and that claims of criticizing young people in general were baseless.
Dipke announced the Cockroach Janta Party online, parodying the BJP's name as the "Cockroach People's Party." The party's month-long protests at Jantar Mantar led to the resignation of former union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam irregularities and paper leaks.
Meanwhile, Delhi is set to see another protest on October 10, as CJP founder Dipke has called for a demonstration at Jantar Mantar seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. However, the Election Commission has firmly rejected the claims behind the controversy.