E-Paper
Gujarati man's meal on airport floor sparks debate, internet says 'this is not Indian culture'
A video of Gujarati actor Hitesh Thakkar enjoying food while sitting on the floor of Surat airport has sparked a debate on civic sense.
A video of a Gujarati man enjoying food while sitting on the floor of Surat airport has sparked a debate on civic sense. The man was identified as Gujarati actor Hitesh Thakkar by the Indian Express. In footage that has gone viral online, Thakkar was seen sitting on the floor of the airport with a newspaper spread out in front of him holding khaman - a popular Gujarati snack. He was surrounded by some friends, all sitting on the floor.
Thakkar explained that he and his friends were flying to Pattaya in Thailand from Surat, Gujarat. His friends had got khaman to the airport, so they spread a newspaper on the floor to enjoy the snack.
“We don’t look at the place when it comes to eating. This is Surat Airport, and my friends got delicious khaman. We are sitting on the floor and eating before boarding our flight to Pattaya, Thailand,” Thakkar said in the video.
Video sparks debate
The video was shared on X by an account praising the Gujarati man for upholding his “traditional diet and eating style.” Not everyone took that view, with many calling it a civic lapse.
“Missing upright civic behaviour is one of the reasons india is still seen as third world country. You want to use modern public transportation but act like its rules do not apply. It’s very conflicting thought process. Individual don't decide this. There are rules,” one X user said in response to the clip.
“Not Indian culture, please stop promoting c*** like this, this is not how the world works. There is nothing to be proud about. Don’t think many from Gujarat will agree with you, the rest of sane people are sitting quietly,” another wrote.
“You can eat anything however you want in the comfort of your home but in public, there should be some civic sense,” X user Sandeep added.
