Viral video showing gutka-stains in dustbin (Images/Instagram@devotedindian)

NEW DELHI: A video showing a gutka-stained dustbin inside a DIY store in Kanpur has gone viral on social media, triggering a wider debate on civic sense and public hygiene in the city.The video, posted last Tuesday, shows a man visiting a store and expressing interest in purchasing a dustbin on display. However, when he opens it, the inside is found stained with gutka spit. The reel was shared on Instagram by the handle Devoted Indian with the caption, “Bolo juban kesri. Kanpur will never change.” Text displayed inside the video reads, “Yeh Kanpur wale kabhi nahi sudhrenge.” In the clip, the man questions what will happen of Kanpur? He said that earlier people used to spit on public dustbins but are now doing so even on dustbins kept inside stores.

The video prompted a strong response from social media users. One user wrote, “It should not a proud thing for us, its a shame for all kanpur.” Another commented, “And that's why I never understood the videos claiming kanpuriyas are awesome and all. These people have confused confidence with overconfidence.” A third user summed it up bluntly, writing, “Zero civic sense.”Following the backlash, the creator later posted a separate reel clarifying that some people had asked him to delete the video, accusing him of defaming Kanpur.

He said the video only showed the reality on the ground and pointed out that the city has many tobacco factories, with gutka spitting common in public places, including areas around Kanpur’s Chakeri airport.

“If celebrities promote ‘zuban kesari’ there is no problem, but when I show the ground reality, people object,” he said in the follow-up video.Kanpur has long been stereotyped for gutka consumption, a habit that remains widespread and is often cited as a major public cleanliness issue.

The spitting of gutka in public places is a commonly acknowledged concern among residents and authorities alike.The latest viral clip has also revived memories of an earlier Instagram video that showed gutka stains on a street in London. That video, compared the red spit marks on a London road to Kanpur, sparking conversations on cultural practices and public hygiene beyond India.