IN Pajeet: The trend of Dangerous Hate speech online against Indian communities

By Rajan Tiwari
September 10, 2024

Tracing the Origins of “Pajeet”: A Deep Dive Into Hinduphobia in Digital Spaces​

Hate speech targeting Indian communities has escalated in recent years, with the slur “Pajeet” emerging as a prime example of ethno-religious derogation. Originating from a 2015 4chan meme, this term has seen a troubling rise in usage, peaking in 2024.

In the vast expanse of cyberspace, speech flows with minimal restrictions, offering a seemingly ideal playground for the expression of ideas. However, this freedom often leads to the accrual of hate speech, particularly targeting a section of the society. This write up delves into the realm of hate speech directed at Indian communities.

Pajeet: Its Origin as Hinduphobic Slur​

The derogatory term “Pajeet” emerges as a focal point in my analysis, serving as an ethno-religious slur predominantly aimed at Indians, particularly Hindus. Tracing its origins to a 2015 meme on 4chan, this term has since gained traction, reaching its zenith in 2024.

"Pajeet” is actually a far-right slur for Hindus and Sikhs. From its humble beginnings in 2015, the term “Pajeet” has experienced exponential growth, culminating in its peak prevalence in the year 2024.

Where Does The Term ‘Pajeet’ Come From?​

Originating as an invented term, “Pajeet” made its debut in a July 2015 meme on 4chan, a digital forum notorious for its anonymous image postings. This meme emerged as a notable spinoff from the popular “Mehmet, My Son” series, which humorously depicted a Turkish father urging his son to select a partner from either Turkey or the Balkans for marriage.

In the twisted iteration of “Pajeet, My Son,” the comic strip takes a derogatory turn, mocking Indians and India itself, particularly regarding issues of open defecation.

The truth side of the story is that the Government of India started Swachh Bharat Mission programme on the theme of ODF (Open Defecation Free) 10 years before after Narendra Modi came to power. India has made notable progress in sanitation, meeting Sustainable Development Goals through initiatives like Swachh Bharat Mission.

Achieving 100% sanitation coverage by 2019 is commendable. The Government of India aims to make India ODF Plus by 2024-25. Hence, it is highly objectionable to tarnish the image of the conuntry in the name of an issue that no longer exists.

The Evolution of Hate Speech: Tracking Patterns and Trends​

Through a meticulous examination of Twitter, Telegram, and Facebook, platforms known for their lax content moderation, we can observe a disturbing surge in hate speech. The term “Pajeet,” often coupled with derogatory language and imagery, proliferates across these platforms, presenting Indians in a degrading light.

The Twitter (presently X) platform serves as a hotbed for hate speech in various forms: text, memes, and videos. What’s particularly disturbing is the accompanying use of Hindu symbols such as the swastika or forehead markings. Hinduphobic terms like “cow piss drinker,” “dung worshipper,” and “kaffir” are liberally deployed, perpetuating stereotypes that depict Indians as backward, dirty, and unintelligent. Furthermore, violent language and imagery intensify the toxicity, while Hindu-specific symbols like tilaks and bindis amplify the hate.

A yearly analysis provides a comprehensive overview of tweet proportions. Notably, in 2024 (Jan-Feb), tweets surged to over 60%, a stark increase compared to 2023 and 2022. Specifically, there were 563 tweets on #Pajeet in 2024, 334 tweets in 2023, and merely 37 tweets in 2022. This trend accentuates a consistent rise in the usage of this term each year.

Maldivian Hate Speech​

Since the election of a new president in the Maldives earlier this year, Mohamed Muizzu, the relationship with New Delhi has experienced a downturn. Observing the turn of these events, “Pajeet” was used by accounts running from Maldives. The term was used the maximum in Jan 2024 surrounding the event and it achieved the peak on 15 Jan 2024.

Besides Twitter and Telegram, Facebook also saw a wave of hate speech for Hindus and Indians.

Understanding the distinction between humour and hate is crucial.

However, when this line blurs, it fosters the emergence of hate speech. The propagation of hate speech, disguised under the veil of humor, has normalized extremist ideologies and attracted individuals who might otherwise reject overt expressions of hate.

Rajan Tiwari is an academic and an ex-journalist. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science & IT at Jharkhand Rai University in Ranchi, Jharkhand. With over 15 years of experience in college teaching, he has made significant contributions to higher education. Earlier, he worked for 9 years as a journalist too. Contact email: trajan20 @ gmail.com.

Source (Archive)

 

[Disdainer of the Plebs]

Hinduphobic

It's not fear, it's disgust. Get it right.


Everybody, please squat for the Indian National Anthem:

 

[Ah ha']

“Hinduphobia”

That honestly pisses me off, it is reasonable to assume that people who do not understand the Vedic tradition would hate its alleged followers.

India is a big place with a lot of people obviously, anyone who takes the time to really read Bhagavad Gita and learn more would understand pretty quickly that the majority are insincere followers of the Vedic tradition. In fact I would say some would feel an even worse disgust for them!

There are of course a lot of well kept Vedic temples in India, and there are many sincere devotees; but big surprise they mostly keep to themselves! In fact westerners are forbidden from going to a lot of these holy places even if you are a devotee because of stupid hippies acting like asses and those that followed emulating them.

These people are in for a rude awakening, but for a sincere request please when things come to blows, leave the holy sites and temples out of it.

 

[Jinn in the phone]

There are of course a lot of well kept Vedic temples in India, and there are many sincere devotees; but big surprise they mostly keep to themselves! In fact westerners are forbidden from going to a lot of these holy places even if you are a devotee because of stupid hippies acting like asses and those that followed emulating them.

There is literally no such thing as a Vedic temple you dumb nigger worshipper. The Vedic people never built temples

 

[Ah ha']

There is literally no such thing as a Vedic temple you dumb nigger worshipper. The Vedic people never built temples

Yes please try to tell me about my religion that I spent a large amount of my life studying in depth and the history surrounding it lmao.

Read the Vedas

 

[PunkinMan]

 

[Jinn in the phone]

Yes please try to tell me about my religion that I spent a large amount of my life studying in depth and the history surrounding it lmao.

Oh really, that's great! I'm sure you can point to a single passage in the 4 vedas, or even in vedic sub-literature like the brahmanas or upanishads that mentions a permanent temple structure consisting of a mandapa, garbha griya and a shikara? Or even any at all? You'd think they'd mention it considering the pre-vedic people passed through a culture (BMAC) that had them, and even adopted religious practices from them such as the Soma ritual.

Weird how idol worship, the central principle of a temple building, is also untestified in Vedic literature and only possible reference is a negative one. In the Yajur if I remember correctly. Hindoodooism is a almagmated bastard fairly distant from actual historic vedic culture

Read the Vedas

Nigger, have you? Watching the mahabharata on TV doesn't count as in-depth life long study lmao

 

[Toothp!ck]

The derogatory term “Pajeet” emerges as a focal point in my analysis

moar liek fecal point amirite?

In the twisted iteration of “Pajeet, My Son,” the comic strip takes a derogatory turn, mocking Indians and India itself, particularly regarding issues of open defecation.

Maybe because we've all (sadly) have seen those pictures and vi

 

[neverendingmidi]

While the street shitting is disgusting, it was the pictures of feral dogs eating the rotting corpses of humans that lay on the shores of the Ganges that truly killed any interest in India for me.

Just. No. They quite literally “clean” themselves in corpse water full of shit.

 

[Vic Viper T301]

I still see them openly defecating, wtf are you talking about?!?

This excuse is DSP tier. " We changed guys, we don't even shit in the street anymore like that dumb meme about us said, that's ancient history from like five years ago and you're still bringing it up!"

 

[kcbbq]

How is any of this dangerous, though? The article title doesn't match the content of the article which is just whining about, "guys, we totally bought some toilets, guys!"

 

[Towoman]

@Ah ha' pls respnd to @Jinn in the phone since im investet to find out who is right but not enough to turn indian myself

 

[Ah ha']

Oh really, that's great! I'm sure you can point to a single passage in the 4 vedas, or even in vedic sub-literature like the brahmanas or upanishads that mentions a permanent temple structure consisting of a mandapa, garbha griya and a shikara? Or even any at all? You'd think they'd mention it considering the pre-vedic people passed through a culture (BMAC) that had them, and even adopted religious practices from them such as the Soma ritual.

Weird how idol worship, the central principle of a temple building, is also untestified in Vedic literature and only possible reference is a negative one. In the Yajur if I remember correctly. Hindoodooism is a almagmated bastard fairly distant from actual historic vedic culture



Nigger, have you? Watching the mahabharata on TV doesn't count as in-depth life long study lmao

While the texts you mentioned do not talk about structures that you wrote here about they do mention quite often the use of sacred spaces and Murtis (idols) this is in Yajur and as well as Brahamanas if I remember correctly it is the Shatapatha in specific. There is also reference to altars for ceremony's and ritual.

The Upsanisads it wouldn't because those are more concerned with spiritual philosophy and teaching.

Anyway why do you call Sanatana Dharma “nigger worship”? You clearly have read some of the texts, and would know that it is often called as a whole the vedic tradition/canon at times.