Spitting is something of an Indian pastime. People spit out streams of red paan and gutkha, they will spit out phlegm, gargle and spit out water or just spit out of habit. There is no conscious thought behind this habit; no acknowledgement that spitting is unhygienic and disgusting. Spitting is a habit that displays a complete disregard for others and contempt for public spaces but it is simply something that we seem content to live with. It is rather amazing that Indians have to be told not to spit; that campaigns such as #ThukMat are necessary to teach us the most basic of things.
The video was widely shared by people from either side of the political spectrum. When it comes to the ideals of cleanliness that Gandhiji spoke about; India speaks in one voice on his 150th birth centenary.
People throwing garbage, leaving their rubbish behind in public transport or outdoor spaces, spitting and urinating --- none of this seems shocking or outrageous.
It seems that we Indians are inured to dirt, filth and squalour. We will cover our noses and avert our eyes when we pass by a mound of garbage but will not give it a second thought.
While we take great pains to keep our own houses clean, we litter outside with impunity.
Cleanliness is the responsibility of each citizen but this fact is dawning on us only now. The problem is that we have never been taught to clean up after ourselves. The pernicious caste system has always told us that cleaning up is someone else’s job; even when we ourselves make the mess.
The telltale red stains of paan and gutkha that adorn public spaces, pavements, building stairwells etc. are a peculiarly Indian problem. It is only in India that we need to be told not to spit great big gobs of red.
The tweeple took the opportunity to bring up the fact that these known carcinogens; known to cause thousands of cancer deaths each year, are still widely available.
While there are fines imposed for spitting in public, these remain mainly on the statute books. If only our law enforcement agencies would be empowered to make people clean up their own spit! (Of course, we would have to start with making police personnel stop spitting in public first).
There are spit stains right next to the sign that warns of a fine for littering. This commentator shared these pictures to demonstrate the irony of the situation.
When we see someone spit, we simply avert our eyes. We don’t want to cause a scene. Why don’t we point out and shame people when we see them spitting?
The #ThukMat campaign is started by the portable spittoon manufacturer EzySpit. This is a product that claims to convert spit into a semi-solid biodegradable waste and fertilizer, which sounds like a super solution. However it is telling that we Indians need a special product to keep our dreadful spitting habit in check; that we still have to be told repeatedly, #ThukMat.
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