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Spitting fire
We, as Indians, are justifiably proud of our national heritage. We reiterate our faith in the hoary traditions, customs and values that form the bedrock of our life today. But do our habits, demeanour and bearing reflect the grandeur of the legacy th
at we are prone to flaunt to the rest of the world at every opportunity? Isn’t it time we saw ourselves, once in a while, as others might see us?
Take, for instance, our civic sense and our attitudes and responsibilities as social beings. We have a national habit, which unfortunately, almost completely undermines our claims to glory. Spitting, a disgusting activity that unites east and west, north and south, seems to have become an acceptable part of our national code of conduct. No place is exempt whether it is a public park or a bustling bus depot.
Projectiles of phlegm, betel juice and plain old saliva were launched from all sides with the speed and accuracy of ballistic missiles. Not a thought is spared for innocent fellow citizens as the perpetrators display blatant disregard for hygiene and the consequent health hazards.
Grand monuments built with loving care centuries ago by master craftsmen and touted as major tourist attractions have been defiled by modern day denizens with blotches of bright red betel juice. Staircase landings in recently renovated office buildings are embellished with the same scarlet stains, right under notices which read ‘Do Not Spit’.
Cleanliness, they say, is next to godliness. Stringent measures must be implemented to prevent besmirching of public property. We would then present ourselves as neater and more dignified, and our splendid heritage would prove more meaningful to others, and more importantly, to our own selves.
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