Pakistan

Indians will always be ugly neighbours to hotter Pakistanis: BuzzFeed India editor

Within three hours of her tweet, Jha backtracks by saying all Indians are beautiful, inside and out

Ibriz Sheikh February 16, 2015

PHOTO COURTESY: THE AEROGRAM

Pakistan were crushed by India in their first World Cup match on Sunday, but BuzzFeed India's editor Rega Jha's gave Pakistanis something to cheer about when she admitted on Twitter that Pakistanis were 'hotter' than 'ugly' Indians.

Taking to her Twitter account, the 23-year-old editor tweeted, "it's so sad that no matter who wins, Pakistanis will continue to be way hotter than us and we'll continue to be their ugly neighbours."

https://twitter.com/RegaJha/status/566916032363642880

The tweet, for obvious reasons, sparked an outrage among Indians who were merciless in their responses to the BuzzFeed editor's tweet.

@RegaJha this tweet is as UGLY as you.
— अभि 🚩🇮🇳 (@abhi_bol) February 15, 2015

dear @RegaJha Who We? Please Clarify, As an Indian I m really Offended by this tweet. Probably you forgot 1992 Blasts or 2008 Mumbai attack.
— Shrin (@ShrrinG) February 15, 2015

.@RegaJha Your low self-esteem screaming , that's okay if you are ugly there are uncountable good looking women and men in India
— Quantum Walker (@Quantum__Walker) February 15, 2015

Some however, took a more comical approach to Jha's opinion and retweeted her sentiment in good faith.

@RegaJha Couldn't agree more. The men are so yummy.
— vivek tejuja 🌈 (@vivekisms) February 15, 2015

https://twitter.com/manithan34/status/566922852515856384

@RegaJha ANY Indian will be ecstatic to sponsor ur one way trip there.Hell, we'll even take ur baraat there happily..
— MI (@mkk3601) February 15, 2015

Jha's tweet was retweeted over 2,000 times since it went up and was favourtied by over 1,000 twitter users. However, many argued that the young editor was simply trying to attract attention.

Within three hours of posting the tweet, Jha took back her statement by claiming that "all Indians are beautiful, inside and out."

COMMENTS (59)

JSM | 9 years ago | Reply There has been extensive discourse on this subject in these columns. It is concluded that people of Pakistan are more beautiful (!) than people of India. How was this 'beauty quotient' of Pakistsn maintined during population transfer at the time of partition. Was any filter used to ensure that only the beautiful people shifted across to Pakistan and the not-so-beautiful muslims were left behind.

Maddie | 9 years ago | Reply @Sami: Like it's a fact we always win against pak? ^_^

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Lokesh | 9 years ago | Reply She does not have the right to speak for anyone but herself. People would have not been half as outraged as they are not if she had tweeted 'Pakistanis are so much prettier than ME'. She is setting stereotypes for the nation as one person, one uglier than an average Pakistani person. While she may be uglier than the Pakistani, not everyone from India is.

Faisal | 9 years ago | Reply I have to say we look the same as Indians as we are the same people.

Ayesha. | 9 years ago | Reply And no matter how good looking people believe us to be, Indians will always be our more tolerant and liberal neighbors while we'll continue being extremist and sexist idiots.

proud Ozzie | 9 years ago | Reply @duniya: Racist!

amit | 9 years ago | Reply @Wasif: That IS freedom of expression! freedom to offend and freedom to retaliate. Peacefully by typing away!

duniya | 9 years ago | Reply It is the truth most indians are dark and not good looking but who i am to judge, we are all human first!

Mouli | 9 years ago | Reply Vivek a great Tamil cinema comedian in one film says: "Dont look at body showroom, look at brain godown" - Doesnt that make sense ?

Michael J | 9 years ago | Reply People of Indus Valley have been lot more beautiful and handsome than the people of Gangetic Valley and South India due to heavy mixing of Central and West Asian genes.

LS | 9 years ago | Reply @faizan: She said what she wanted to say. She withdrew it of her own will.. no one forced her to. Will there be a back-lash from public yes, did authorities ask her to take her tweet down, No. Freedom of speech is still alive and kicking, lack of perspective does not make it false. Not that we are a first world country but we are getting there... slowly... Lastly, its easy to criticize others, when your own country is so intolerant without any freedom of speech, the weight of your criticism comes to a naught...

Magic cap | 9 years ago | Reply Isn't hotness is a relative thing? Don't we prefer a smart girl over Kim Kardashian anytime? How we define hotness is a completely personal thing. She should not have generalised it..

Magic cap | 9 years ago | Reply @Wasif: She told whatever she wanted to say. And others practiced the same when they replied to her. Freedom of speech works in both ways!!

EyeOpening! | 9 years ago | Reply First I thought; its a pathetic opinion of an Indian, but after reading all the comments I realized; Indian Men must have been bruised by such women more often than this news. So it's not the fault of ET for holding its breath for so long. I now remember from Overseas College days... how Indian Chicks would dig for Pakis... as trophies.

In the name of love (what more) | 9 years ago | Reply Really surprised to see what all is on a prominent display on ET!

Sohail Abbasi | 9 years ago | Reply Beautiful tweet indeed :D

ranjan | 9 years ago | Reply Wow!, a personal opinion of a layman becomes a news in Pakistan! Oh wait, they don't get a lot of attention from anyone in any part of the world. So it's definitely news worthy. He he he.

harkol | 9 years ago | Reply @Guest: The probability of her being raped is just about the same as the probability that existed before her comment. Point is - her safety isn't subject to a comment she made. It is subject to overall law&order situation in India (which admittedly isn't best). I believe that what she said was a harmless joke & a personal opinion. I don't understand why people criticized it. But, then they are free to oppose & criticize her opinion too. That's how free speech works. Freespeech is violated only when violence is resorted to shut a differing voice. Like mob violence for perceived insult or blasphemy. That too happens in India, but not too frequent.

Timorlane | 9 years ago | Reply I've been to India for office work besides to a good number of countries in couple of continents and have found Indians dark and unattractive in overwhelming majority (no degrading intended). There's no match between Pakistanis and Indians. But it's natural and neither Indians should be ashamed of it nor others should be proud of it. Reaction of Indians prove the presence of inferiority complex about their "looks". Don;t worry you always have Bollywood movies to show Pakistanis inferior to Indians in looks et al.

Norman | 9 years ago | Reply I would just like to ask all the Indians why are they so obsessed with Pakistan? ?? They troll on every Pakistani website just to malign and be-little us...Are they that threatened by a country that's 10 time smaller than them?? And yes we get it..They hate us..Believe me the feeling is entirely mutual...now leave us alone and pick on some one your own size like China. ..

Guest | 9 years ago | Reply Harkol You said it rightly about freedom of speech and she is not going to be murdered. But the possibility of being rape in India for her is up now. A vigilant eye

JSM | 9 years ago | Reply Crossbred societies are always better looking than pure races. Look at the central Europeans where races from Asia and Europe did get mixed. Moderator- this is a fact- please publish it..

sarah | 9 years ago | Reply True, we are hotter! Deal with it;)

M M Malik | 9 years ago | Reply Looks are irrelevant. Who are better in the eyes of the AlMiighty?

Milind | 9 years ago | Reply @Chachoo - "ET this is your standard?. This is pretty racist in my view. " That's fine dude... In fact, in this era of political correctness, most of the authentic but uncomfortable opinions and feelings exist under the surface as these are suppressed. This kind of silliness is a departure from that monotony and brings some comic relief. Its ok to laugh at ourselves once in a while...

n | 9 years ago | Reply Why are Indians so mad about the opinion of a single girl? Insecure much, guys?

Humza | 9 years ago | Reply I think Pakistanis wanted a win in the cricket match - we don't care what the players do or don't look like. We care about their performance. There are plenty of Indian looking people in Pakistan, especially in Karachi since a lot of migrants or "Mujahirs" came there from all parts of India like UP, Bihar and Tamil Nadu. The Pakistani cricket team is probably all native Pakistani people which is why they may look different from the Indian team. The racial influences among native Pakistani races is more varied due to history and is reflected in the way they look. Obviously is hasn't made a difference in the play because they lost. The better team won that day.

jack | 9 years ago | Reply India is a very diverse land, the looks of people differse frm region to region here, u will be even surprised to see beautuful mongoloid people who looks like korean or japanese in northeast part of india comprised of 8 states.

khan of quetta | 9 years ago | Reply Indians showing their ugliness in the comment section

Shiv | 9 years ago | Reply @Ramesh: Stop taking the drugs.

wb | 9 years ago | Reply @Wasif: "And then Indians claim to be respecting Freedom of expression. Hypocrites." Like typical Pakistani, this guy doesn't understand the meaning of most of the words he uses. Hey Wasif, listen, India has freedom of expression. That's why we're criticizing her by using our freedom of expression. That is the meaning. I'm tired of explaining simple things to these 180 million failures.

doniya | 9 years ago | Reply As a Pakistani woman I feel pity for indians. Don't worry just apply FAIR N LOVELY lol

goggi (Lahore) | 9 years ago | Reply She is contradicting her own statement, because she herself is a very beautiful Indian girl with a contagious, temperamental and hot smile! Let us Pakistanis consider this as a counter compliment, that she is one from billions of such beautiful and hot Indians. Only with the eye of a loving heart true beauty is revealed!

Ramesh | 9 years ago | Reply Ugly people also live in India... There are 4 Rape cases in my city, and cases are still pending... One of Rapist is actually Police inspector. So definitly ugly people are living in India as she mention but not 100% Indian are ugly. There are many like me cute and good looking indians, I have 3gf. so tell me Am i not hot.

Sunil | 9 years ago | Reply @Wasif: Freedom of expression means both sides of the argument are expressed. We have done that.

Norman | 9 years ago | Reply It's not all about the looks ..but to be honest Indian women need to be better groomed...I hardly saw any well groomed women even in the affluent areas of Delhi and Mumbai...very few....and majority of the Indian Muslim women are so backward ...I mean just look at their women politicians..Mamta Banerjee and others. ..I was watching their TV. .and most looked like they have just rolled out of bed...Forget shampoo or conditioner, most looked as if they haven't even used a comb. ..and don't get me started on their facial hair.

Baba | 9 years ago | Reply Yes because pakistanis are the real 'white' aryans and hindus are black dravidians....never mind the fact that the Aryan-Dravidian theory has been destroyed many times in the last few years. Believe what you want to believe. #Can'tCureStupid

SUn Tzu | 9 years ago | Reply @Pakistani: have you even read the UN Resolutions on Kashmir? If you want to follow - Pakistan will have to first withdraw all forces and civilians....Obviously you can't as you have made it another Panjab! Be thankful India has not taken this line of defence - if it does, you'll fall flat.

Saba | 9 years ago | Reply Dear Rega jha ! you are a pretty girl ! ugly are people by heart.... !

Sabyasachi | 9 years ago | Reply If she feels that way then that is her right to express so.The freedom of the individual must be respected.

Samia | 9 years ago | Reply This is the funniest tweet I have ever seen. I have to say as a Pakistani, I feel that Indians, in general, are very humble people. Even after we lost the match against India, the captain was highlighting the strengths of the Pakistani team.

Alina | 9 years ago | Reply Oh I totally agree with her, the women are like way way prettier. BUt still, atleast not some thing which would make India sad :/

Kiani | 9 years ago | Reply The fact is we have lost a match against India and that is above all!

Aviator | 9 years ago | Reply So true ;)

Harkol | 9 years ago | Reply Wasif: India does have freedom of expression. She is not going to be murdered for what she said. Just as she has a right to say what she did, everyone else has a right to say what they do as well!! It's her opinion against other's opinion that are being voiced. It is true India does have some weakness regarding 'offence' related suppression by state. But, mostly it is for hate speech or vulgar speech.

JD | 9 years ago | Reply Buzzfeed got the attention it wanted in India, Well done Jha! But your statement/tweet have certainly upset many and you´ll probably feel the heat in the days to come. A pakistani

Indian | 9 years ago | Reply u have hit the nail on the head....mind u, we are very consious of their appearances.

Chachoo | 9 years ago | Reply ET this is your standard?. This is pretty racist in my view.

Saquib | 9 years ago | Reply I guess she was drunk with joy. Nevermind, hotness is relative, everyone has their tastes. What would you like, hot dumb chauvinism or soft, polite intellect?

Pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply I have met some really nice Indians (much more beautiful on the inside). BUT India still needs to Implement UN Resolutions on Kashmir.....

aazan | 9 years ago | Reply @So what: Its sarcasm.

zeeshan | 9 years ago | Reply People must not be judged based on how they look. This was a very hollow tweet and reflects poor state of her Mind.

So what | 9 years ago | Reply Stating a well known fact. Diverse land of Pakistan is home to very good looking people.

KhulaTazaad | 9 years ago | Reply I won't take it. It's out of pity.

Sami | 9 years ago | Reply @Media Watchdog: Yeah its fact ... shouldn't be news to anybody !!

Alina | 9 years ago | Reply hahahhahahahahha ,,,,,soo true :D

Wasif | 9 years ago | Reply And then Indians claim to be respecting Freedom of expression. Hypocrites.

faizan | 9 years ago | Reply yes the proportion of good looking people is way more than that on the eastern side of the border men/women both, women more ofcourse than men.

Media Watchdog | 9 years ago | Reply How is this even remotely newsworthy, Tribune?

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