While you’re travelling via public transport, it is basic manners to offer your seat to an elderly or a person with a toddler in their arms – be it a man or a woman. But it seems like some people have forgotten this.
In an undated video shared by IAS officer Awanish Sharan, a woman can be seen sitting on the floor with a toddler on her lap inside a moving metro. What is appalling is that several other women could be seen seated around her. One would ask themselves, was there no one kind enough to offer their seat to the woman?
Sharing the video, Awanish Sharan wrote, “Your degree is just a piece of paper, if it is not reflected in your behavior.”
Have a look:
आपकी डिग्री सिर्फ़ एक काग़ज़ का टुकड़ा है, अगर वो आपके व्यवहार में ना दिखे. pic.twitter.com/ZbVFn4EeAX
— Awanish Sharan (@AwanishSharan) June 18, 2022
However, the video started a debate on Twitter. On one hand, people condemned such behavior and slammed the other women sitting comfortably in the metro while the mother remains seated on the floor.
We grew up in Kolkata, taught to always stand up and give our seat (in a bus or a tram car) to a woman irrespective of whether she had a child in her arms or not, whether she was old or young. It was called manners in our time.
— Pritish Nandy (@PritishNandy) June 20, 2022
In all cities in India we are taught the same…but unfortunately we Indians have stopped believing in humanity anymore…& It’s showing how we as a country are doing at this point… instead of going forward we are going backwards… Mannerisms r dead.
— Mohit Prashar (@MohitPrashar16) June 20, 2022
For how long we will remain insensitive and inhumane?
All the women around yet no one offered a seat 💔💔 https://t.co/P7BPLCSKGk— Parminder Singh 🇮🇳 🇮🇳 (@1961_ps) June 20, 2022
Ladies sitting behind have no time to think about others except there own smartphone. https://t.co/YxIIwp8ROr
— Gopal Babu Varshney (@varshneygopal11) June 19, 2022
Degree is for relevant skill or knowledge not for moral education.
Aaram se baithi hai mahila. Baithe rehne do https://t.co/PiM0bZFFpO
— Slayer Khare 杀手卡雷 (@Vaishnav122) June 19, 2022
All who has seated, are very intelligent and educated people 😡 https://t.co/QVCFxCL4Xd
— 🚩Shailesh Kumar🚩🇮🇳 Info tech consultant💻🖨️ (@Being_anIndian) June 20, 2022
Women ask Men to standup from women seat, But these women do not care for another women in real need #SayNoToWomenSeat https://t.co/qUw2XAMvTP
— Raj (@raj000222) June 19, 2022
On the other hand, many pointed out that the mother might have sat on the floor by choice, as it is a more comfortable position for her to take care of her baby.
आपकी बात 16 आने सच है ।
But mothers are very much comfortable in this sitting position .
May be u r missing other side of coin
May be
I am not sure— || णमोकारिणी || 🇮🇳 (@annafox_uk) June 18, 2022
This video is very old. It was made clear earlier that the lady had been offered a seat by many, but she refused and preferred sitting on the floor as it made her comfortable with the lap child.
Not everything is as wrong as it is made out to be.— Vikram Jamwal (@jamwalvikram) June 18, 2022
Zaroori nahi hein jo dikh raha ho wo waisa hi ho…meine khud kitni baar metro mein travel karte dekha hein ki yeh log jab bhi metro board karte hein…chahe small baby ho ya nahi inke saath..but still yeh log corner per ek group bana kar aaram se baith jate hein
— Seema Sikka Khanna (@KhannaSikka) June 20, 2022
Possible that she wanted to sit down on floor. Its comfortable to sit down that way than sitting on the seat in a congested way…
— Yamuna K N (@YamunaKN1) June 18, 2022
But how do we know if the passengers dint offer her a seat? Pictures don’t tell all the truth. Probably the mom was convenient squatting and sitting with the baby in that position and refused seat? I still think humanity persists & atleast one person would have offered a seat.
— Induja Ragunathan (@R_Induja) June 20, 2022
What do you think of this incident?