Lost sanctity

Atithi Devo Bhava an ideal we proudly embrace as Indians—worshipping the guest as an equivalent to God. Yet, how often have we fumbled when it came to fulfiling this premise. Horrific accounts have arisen of abuse upon foreign nationals on Indian land, with accusations of extortion, kidnapping and even rape under several circumstances. In 2016, 8.80 million foreign tourists travelled to India, contributing over Rs 1.5 lakh crore to our exchequer. The land of mysteries, wisdom and flourishing culture—India attracts enthusiasts from across the world who flock to the many monuments, forts, mountains, jungles and beaches of our vast country, contributing massively to the national exchequer while improving our imprint on the global map. Tourism is an essential aspect that drives the economy and has been a point of emphasis for all state and central governments. The barbarism in our society has multiplied lately and this abuse has not only sidelined the Dalits and Muslims but also the foreign nationals who travel to our country. UP, yet again, tops the list in instances of abuse met out to foreigners, with an Argentinean sadhvi traumatised due to attempt to rape by some men in Varanasi. Soon after, a Swiss couple was locked up inside one of the Mughal gardens of Mehtab Bagh by the guard who harangued them and consequently threatened to assault them. This incident comes only a few months after another Swiss couple had been harassed at Fatehpur Sikhri. In yet another incident, a group of foreign tourists, largely women, were beaten up and molested in the Ahraura area of Mirzapur, by a group of men. There is a complete absence of circumstantial evidence that would support the assault that is being instigated by the men of our country towards foreign nationals. Abuse aside, foreign tourists are often treated as props with locals posing around them to take photographs, as if they were an item of decoration. This outright disrespect that is being met out to tourists travelling to India will have a devastating impact on our economy if it is not curbed within time. As modern society progresses our citizens are regressing to a time of barbarism and undiluted perversion. Our minds are becoming smaller and our hormones are becoming larger in their capacity. The government must step up to take a tough stance against such hooligans who are hampering the sanctity of our society. Awareness must also be propelled to respect those belonging to different colour or identity. While on the one hand the majority of our muscle-flexing civilians proudly claim to be true Hindus, on the other hand, they do not bat an eyelid before disgracing every pantheon of ethical demeanour that is projected in our scriptures.