A recent tweet from Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia has sparked a heated national debate on social media.
Bhatia’s post, in which he described India as the “dirtiest country” and questioned citizens’ reluctance to take responsibility for waste management, has drawn thousands of reactions.
Sabeer Bhatia says “India is the dirtiest country”
In his viral tweet, Bhatia wrote,
“Social media exposes truth. Ask anyone which is the dirtiest country - most will say India.”
He went on to highlight the challenges of urban sanitation, pointing out the prevalence of slums, trash, and rubbish.
He also criticised the lack of personal accountability among citizens, noting that when people are asked to take responsibility for their own waste, “they call you anti-national.” He ended the tweet with a question: “Am I missing something here?”
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Netizens Reactions
The post was widely interpreted as a call for individuals to take responsibility for keeping public spaces clean.
At the same time, many users argued that describing India as the “dirtiest country” overlooked the progress made through initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission and local community clean-up drives.
One user wrote,
“You’re not missing anything. People love blaming the system but hate personal accountability. Real patriotism isn’t just waving flags, it’s keeping your streets and rivers clean.”
Others, however, defended India’s efforts to improve sanitation and cleanliness. A user countered,
“Yes, you’re missing quite a lot, Sabeer. India is home to one of the world’s largest cleanliness drives — the Swachh Bharat Mission. Criticism is easy from abroad; contribution is harder.”
Some netizens took a more nuanced stance, linking the issue to education and social structures.
“We lack education in civic sense, but it goes beyond that. Cleaning is supposed to be someone else’s job — read lower caste. The day caste is banned in India, it will emerge as one of the top nations in the world,” one user observed.
Another commenter turned the focus back on Bhatia himself, saying,
“Sure, civic sense could improve, but maybe instead of pointing fingers, you could lead by example — donate some of your Hotmail profits to promote civic awareness in India.”
Sabeer Bhatia’s comment has reignited discussions on cleanliness, civic responsibility, and the perception of India on global platforms.
While many agree that civic sense remains a concern, others believe the country has made significant progress through initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Also Read: ‘Life has come full circle': Ragini Das joins Google where she was once rejected, becomes Head of Startups, India
Netizens slam Sabeer Bhatia over “Ask anyone which is the dirtiest country - most will say India” comment
Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia’s tweet calling India the “dirtiest country” has triggered a social media debate, drawing both support and sharp criticism from netizens.
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Sabeer Bhatia
A recent tweet from Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia has sparked a heated national debate on social media.
Bhatia’s post, in which he described India as the “dirtiest country” and questioned citizens’ reluctance to take responsibility for waste management, has drawn thousands of reactions.
Sabeer Bhatia says “India is the dirtiest country”
In his viral tweet, Bhatia wrote,
He went on to highlight the challenges of urban sanitation, pointing out the prevalence of slums, trash, and rubbish.
He also criticised the lack of personal accountability among citizens, noting that when people are asked to take responsibility for their own waste, “they call you anti-national.” He ended the tweet with a question: “Am I missing something here?”
Also Read: “Excited to partner with AMD to use their chips to serve our users!” Sam Altman on new multibillion-dollar deal
Netizens Reactions
The post was widely interpreted as a call for individuals to take responsibility for keeping public spaces clean.
At the same time, many users argued that describing India as the “dirtiest country” overlooked the progress made through initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission and local community clean-up drives.
One user wrote,
Others, however, defended India’s efforts to improve sanitation and cleanliness. A user countered,
Some netizens took a more nuanced stance, linking the issue to education and social structures.
Another commenter turned the focus back on Bhatia himself, saying,
Sabeer Bhatia’s comment has reignited discussions on cleanliness, civic responsibility, and the perception of India on global platforms.
While many agree that civic sense remains a concern, others believe the country has made significant progress through initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Also Read: ‘Life has come full circle': Ragini Das joins Google where she was once rejected, becomes Head of Startups, India