‘Our civic sense seriously needs improvement’: Harsh Goenka shares Swiss hotel rules for Indians amid viral video garb | Today’s news
Industrialist and RPG Group chairman Harsh Goenka said “the civic sense of Indians needs serious improvement”, his remarks coming as videos of Indians performing garba abroad attracted massive flak. He also highlighted a number of other incidents such as “airplane cabins being turned into picnic spots” and argued that the world should remember Indians for their “excellence, consideration and respect for others”.
“Today, videos still circulate of garba in restaurants, loud conversations in airports and airplane cabins being turned into picnic spots. Even in Davos, an Indian businessman blasted Punjabi music in a club for the whole town to hear, calling it ‘soft power’, much to the chagrin of everyone else.
Japan has won worldwide admiration for its civility and sense of citizenship. If India wants to be a true global superpower, the world should remember Indians for their excellence, thoughtfulness and respect for others.
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Our civic sense needs serious improvement,” Goenka wrote on X.
The industrialist also shared a set of rules that he said “horrified” him as they were designed specifically for Indian guests.
“A Swiss hotel once displayed a list of special rules exclusively for Indian guests”
A notice displayed at Hotel Arc-en-ciel in Gstaad contains a number of instructions specifically for Indian guests. The notice urged visitors not to take away food from the breakfast buffet, to use only cutlery provided by the hotel and to keep noise levels low in corridors and balconies in consideration of other guests. He also clarified that items from the breakfast buffet were only meant to be consumed during breakfast, while packed lunches could be purchased separately.
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“A Swiss hotel once displayed a list of special rules exclusively for Indian guests, which I personally saw and was appalled,” Goenka wrote.
Goen’s remarks came in the backdrop of two viral videos showing Indians performing garba overseas. One clip showed a group dancing on the tarmac at an airport in Vietnam, while another showed people performing a traditional dance in a restaurant. The videos sparked widespread debate on social media, with critics arguing that such behavior reflects poorly on India abroad, while supporters saw it as a harmless celebration of cultural identity.
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How social media users reacted:
The videos have garnered considerable attention on social media, with several netizens taking to the comments section.
One user wrote: “Notice the chaos in front of every school in India. Parents rushing to drop off or pick up their kids create a big rush in the last five minutes. They park anywhere, drive rashly and bump into other cars and bikes without any compunction. When kids see all this, they learn the same behavior.”
Another user said: “Sir, a nation of 145 million people will always have some bad examples.
We demand respect for India abroad. The least we can do is be considerate abroad.
Let’s correct our shortcomings without forgetting our strengths.”
A third user said: “I totally agree with you sir! Civic sense must be one of our top priorities at every level – from homes to streets to institutions.
Just like in the old days, morality and civics should be compulsory subjects in schools. Every institution must follow this with strict penalties for violators. Zero tolerance for such behavior is the only way forward.
The ‘jugaad’ mentality has to go. We cannot become a developed nation if we carry the mindset of a developing nation. Charity begins at home – every citizen must be a part of this change, either by choice or by necessary advocacy.
Let’s build a better India together.”
A fourth user said: “What could be more shameful than the fact that even the richest 1 percent of Indians – those who travel to places like Switzerland – still lack basic civic sense?”