- At the outset, let the subject heading not be construed as demeaning or condescending to the Indian people, simply because yours truly is also part of the same country that we are all so proud of. Yes, we are absolutely proud to be associated with such an ancient civilization bestowed with rich history, unparalleled legacy, mind-blowing tradition, and fascinating culture dotting the huge swathe of landscape. While we are, as Indians, proud of the fact about way the country has progressed over the last few decades and being counted amongst the fastest growing economies in the world. The aspirational society of India is on track to be recognized as a developed nation by 2047, so our PM wishes us to believe. And we won’t mind believing the same either.
PC: Freepik
- However, one of the most noticeable eyesores about the Indian people is our tendency to go a bit soft on following accepted civic etiquette. Mind you, while travelling overseas, we are truly diligent and leave no stone unturned in ensuring the local policies are observed to the last detail. We ourselves feel surprised while noticing how fellow Indians become so disciplined while following the stipulated rules, regulations, policies, and local customs without attempting to break them as often as back home. The moot point to ponder over here is why we are found wanting in not diligently pursuing/observing/following the set guidelines in India. The unruly crowd behaviour is not an exception; rather, it’s the norm is stating the obvious. That’s sad, to say the least.
PC: Deccan Herald
- Of course, it’s hardly surprising that India loves crowds. With 1.4bn people – a significant number of whom live cheek by jowl – crowds are an everyday part of life. To top it, we Indians are very emotional on certain matters of interest, which not only binds us together like a glue but also causes significant challenges sometimes when we tend to go overboard. Most intriguingly, sometimes the way the crowd behaves here is strange, like how easily they degenerate into melees. We have seen how the crowd goes berserk during political rallies, religious congregations, sports events, musical concerts, and celebrations. The crowd management becomes an extremely challenging aspect for the law-and-order machinery, leading to untoward incidents.
PC: The Indian Express
- We know what happened in the unfortunate IPL victory celebration in Bengaluru. The recent launch of iPhone 17 sales saw crowds breaking into fisticuffs at locations like Mumbai. Hardly surprising, one might say. This, even though the phones could have been bought online and delivered within 10 minutes. To be fair, boorish crowd behaviour isn’t unique to India. Crowds indeed take on a life of their own in certain social situations, from sports and entertainment to religion and politics, with individuals gathered in large numbers losing all sense of order. If some want their iPhone 17 first, there will be others who will question why they shouldn’t beat them to it, quite literally. Sadly, many Indians know how to queue, but never in a straight line.
