A viral video on X (previously Twitter) has stirred widespread outrage, displaying purple stains on London streets allegedly brought on by gutkha and paan spitting. The clip, captioned “Gutka and paan spitting has made its strategy to London now — shameful and disgusting,” has reignited considerations over hygiene, public cleanliness, and cultural accountability.
Gutkha, a chewing tobacco mix of areca nut and flavourings, is usually consumed in elements of South Asia. When spat, it leaves purple stains — a difficulty more and more noticed in migrant-heavy areas of London and cities like Leicester.
To fight the issue, Leicester Metropolis Council not too long ago put in bilingual signboards in English and Gujarati warning residents in opposition to paan spitting: “Spitting paan on the road is unhygienic and anti-social. You would be fined.” Affected neighborhoods embody Spinney Hills, North Evington, and Belgrave, the place paan stains have change into a visual nuisance, in keeping with Leicestershire Police.
This isn’t the primary crackdown. Brent Council in north London imposed fines for spitting as early as 2010. By 2014, a Public Areas Safety Order (PSPO) allowed for £80 fines. Billboards even bluntly said: *“It’s nasty man! Don’t spit paan.”*
On-line reactions to the video have been scathing. One person wrote, “Oh, good! Gutka and paan spitting, the final word cultural export… Really a proud second for civilization.” One other lamented its normalisation in areas like Wembley, calling for tighter bans. A 3rd commenter demanded public shaming of offenders to instill civic sense.
Past aesthetics and hygiene, the follow has critical well being implications. Gutkha use — widespread amongst migrant communities from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka — is linked to a excessive threat of oral most cancers. Regardless of this, consciousness stays low in comparison with the dangers of smoking. Some property homeowners have taken inventive approaches, like portray spiritual imagery on partitions to discourage spitting.
