At a recent lecture event in London, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant faced a tense exchange with attendees who questioned him about alleged dissent suppression in India. The incident occurred during a session on 'Artificial Intelligence and International Law' at Birkbeck College, University of London.
Video clips of the exchange, shared by Saurav Das, chief spokesperson of the online movement Cockroach Janta Party, show an attendee asking CJI Kant about concerns over growing hostility to dissent in India. However, the anchor intervened, stating that the topic was off-topic.
The CJI had earlier used the term 'cockroaches' to describe fake degree-holders and unemployed youth becoming activists. The Cockroach Janta Party, which has announced a protest in Delhi on June 6, takes its name from the CJI's remarks.
In his lecture, CJI Kant emphasized the importance of ensuring that technological power remains accountable to constitutional values, democratic legitimacy, and human dignity. He also highlighted the need for international law to rise to the challenge of artificial intelligence and reaffirm the values that lie at the foundation of democratic civilization.
