Comedian Champions 'Post-Cockroach' Satire as India Cracks Down on Dissent

Laughing is something your body does even if you try to stop it.

Sometimes jokes are used to make fun of people who are very powerful, which is called 'punching up'.

In India in 2026, young people made funny videos and memes on their phones, and one of the funniest things was a cartoon cockroach.

Because so many people shared these jokes, an important government minister had to resign.

After that, many young people went to a big open place called Jantar Mantar to protest.

A comedian named Azeem Banatwalla wrote an article about all this.

He says jokes can tell the truth and help keep a country fair and free.

But after the protests, things got harder: some social media posts were blocked, and some comedians cancelled their shows because angry groups threatened them.

Banatwalla thinks comedians do a favour by making sure powerful people do their jobs, and he hopes laughter will keep finding a way through the cracks.