New Delhi: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday described himself as an "honorary cockroach" while rejecting claims made by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena regarding their recent meeting and the origins of the online "Cockroach Janta Party" (CJP) movement.
The exchange followed a social media post by the LG, who said he had cautioned Wangchuk during a meeting in Leh against "weaving a misleading and provocative narrative" and claimed the activist had acknowledged that comparing Ladakh with Manipur was an "error of judgement".
Saxena also alleged that Wangchuk was uncertain about the origins of the so-called Cockroach Party and suggested he would "study the motivations of its founders and revisit his stand, if necessary".
Rejecting these claims, Wangchuk said the interaction had been cordial and bore no resemblance to the tone reflected in the LG's public remarks.
"The LG Ladakh invited us for some meeting over a cup of tea. We spent nearly an hour in a cordial and friendly atmosphere discussing his initiatives, our work and possibilities of collaboration," he said.
Wangchuk added that while the LG did raise his earlier comments comparing Ladakh with Manipur and his views on the Cockroach Janta Party, there was no reprimand or warning during the meeting.
He further said he was surprised by the tone of the subsequent public post.
"One hour after we left, we were surprised, and not very pleasantly, to see that he had tweeted in a tone as if he had censured us or cautioned us," Wangchuk said, adding that the message may have been intended to satisfy "political expectations elsewhere".
He also said he deliberately did not respond immediately, describing the LG's remarks as "childish behaviour", before issuing his clarification days later.
Wangchuk rejected the claim that he had called his comparison of Ladakh with Manipur an "error of judgement", saying he still stood by his remarks, though he had described the analogy as "avoidable" in the current context.
"I don't think it is an error of my judgement. I still totally stand by it," he said.
He also disputed the LG's suggestion that he was unsure about the origins of the Cockroach Janta Party or would reconsider his position on it.
Wangchuk said he had not distanced himself from the movement and rejected allegations that it was influenced by foreign entities, as had been claimed in the LG's post.
Referring to claims about external funding and influence, including references to the Soros Foundation and neighbouring countries, Wangchuk said he had dismissed such allegations during the meeting.
The activist also said he told the LG that governments should not feel threatened by such movements and should instead engage with public sentiment.
Reiterating his support for the online initiative, Wangchuk described himself as an admirer of the movement and said he stood by his earlier statement.
"I'm a huge admirer of Cockroach Party, and I remain the same," he said, adding that he was open to examining any credible data about its origins and reach.
He also appealed to the movement's founder, Abhijeet Dipke, to share data on its audience, noting that transparency could help settle questions about its support base.
Dipke, who runs the satirical social media initiative, has previously rejected allegations of significant foreign backing and shared analytics suggesting that the vast majority of its audience is based in India.
Wangchuk said such data, if verified, would only strengthen his support for the movement.
"If it is an Indian youth initiative with foreign following, I become an even bigger admirer and supporter," he said.