Mary Millben’s Shocking Claim: CJP Gets Foreign Funding
In Short
American singer Mary Millben alleges that US-based donors opposed to Narendra Modi are funding the CJP, sparking controversy amid protests over electoral roll revision.
In a shocking and explosive revelation, American singer Mary Millben alleged that the Cockroach Janata Party is being “funded by donors” in the US who were opposed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and “your future under leadership,” she said on her X handle.
Millben is a prominent African-American Hollywood actress and singer. She is very popular in India for her rendition of India’s national anthem and religious song ‘Om Jai Jagdish Hare’.
Millben sang India’s national anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’, at an event in 2023 in the US during the prime minister’s visit.
She said on Wednesday it is "not the time to be silent" and called upon all "young patriots" in India to rise and peacefully protest the "disruptive spirit" of the outfit.
These remarks of Millben assume importance in the wake of the protests by opposition parties and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in New Delhi to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
According to her, CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke and his party are being "funded by donors in the US who are against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
"Do not fear, my young patriots. Your Prime Minister, who has served India for 25 years, 12 years as Prime Minister, elected three consecutive terms, is not going to bow to disruptive forces from my country," the post read.
"And these select donors have a pattern globally - target conservative global leaders, find a US-educated person from the country, radicalise them, send them back to the country, and fund them to start chaos and destruction. None of them has been successful but has impacted the development and governance of the country," she said.
The American singer said that there should always be a counter-movement to uphold democracy and freedom.
"It is time for a new voice in #India, born, raised, educated on the soil of India, to RISE UP, organise, and peacefully protest the disruptive spirit of the Cockroach Party... Rise up, young patriots! Rise up!," she added.
A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.
