Painting 100 Crore Indian with same brush: The Print’s Founder Shekhar Gupta faces flak

Veteran Indian journalist and founder of The Print, Shekhar Gupta faced the flak of social media for his ‘Indians are the world’s worst passengers’ remark on Twitter. Notably, Mr. Gupta’s tweet came on the back of the Air India incident, where a man has been recently arrested, days after allegedly urinating on an elderly woman on New York-Delhi flight.

The unprecedented incident has become a matter of huge embarrassment for India’s Civil Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ratan Tata-owned Air India and several stakeholders associated with the aviation industry.

While Delhi Police has arrested Shankar Mishra, Air India has banned him from flying for 30-days, Fells Wargo – employer of Mr. Mishra – fired him, DGCA has initiated internal investigation in the matter, the matter is far from over and everyday we hear or read responses from various stakeholders on the matter. Meanwhile, senior Indian journalist Shekhar Gupta shared an analytical video, featuring journalist and author Vir Sanghvi, with the title “How the Air India incident shows Indian passengers are the worst and what needs to be done.”

Although, Mr. Gupta didn’t voiced his opinion on the matter, and he only shared The Print’s video featuring Vir Sanghvi, netizens were not impressed with statestica-less opinion of Mr. Sanghvi and Mr. Gupta backing it on his digital media platform. Check out reactions.

How the Air India incident shows Indians are the world's worst passengers and is it time to fine and arrest those who mistreat other travellers or crew…

Watch ThePrint #ToThePoint with @VirSanghvi:https://t.co/jR8rJt8SRm
— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) January 6, 2023

I’m a former cabin crew member. (Domestic and International)

I’ve experienced awful passengers across countries and wonderfully kind ones too.

Can we get better? Yes!

But this generalised statement backed with NO data is as cringy as the recent incident on Air India. https://t.co/GBQ5unvnvR
— Disha Oberoi (@OberoiD) January 8, 2023

Only such statements attracts more readers. #clickbait
— BG Mahesh (@bgmahesh) January 8, 2023

It is indeed a shameful and reprehensible act, but will not generalize for all Indians. It is a problem of newly enriched folks. Problem is the impunity as they do not even get a rap. He needs to be banned on all flights for a long time to begin with.
— Amar Sinha, IN (@SenseandC_sense) January 6, 2023

You are wrong. These are very stray incidents. I had been flying last 25 years and a lot in the last 10 years. Indians are in general fearful and careful
— Patakota Venkateswar (@PatakotaV) January 8, 2023

Quite ridiculous to malign Indians at large because of one such incident. Such a statement must be condemned and an apology sought from @ShekharGupta and @virsanghvi – what right do they have ?
— Dinanath Kholkar (@dinakholkar) January 8, 2023

How much of pleasure you take in branding all Indians in poor light, by this tweet of yours. Condemn the incident, condemn the concerned person. But don't condemn the Indians. These kind of incidents happen everywhere, it's not unique to India.
— Shekar Iyer (@SHEKARSUSHEEL) January 8, 2023