Hare Tidde is a Hindi-language slur used to refer to Muslims. It combines hare (green), a color strongly associated with Islam through its symbolism of paradise and the Prophet Muhammad, and tidde (locusts or pests). The term thus equates Muslims with swarming insects, twisting a sacred color into a marker of impurity and infestation.
Background and Context
The phrase is commonly found in contemporary Hindu nationalist and online anti-Muslim rhetoric in India.
Impact and Harm
This slur dehumanizes Muslims by likening them to insects or pests, stripping them of individuality and humanity. Pest metaphors are among the most extreme forms of dehumanization and have historically preceded extermination campaigns and genocidal violence. When groups are described as “infestations” or “swarms,” it legitimizes their removal or destruction as a form of social or national “cleansing.”
Variants and Alternative Forms
हरे टिड्डे
Online Usage
