A video showing tobacco and paan spitting stains on the streets of London has gone viral. According to reports, these stains have been spotted in areas stretching from Rayners Lane to North Harrow.
The video shows dustbins, pavements, and roads splattered with deep red marks. Residents of the Rayners Lane district claim that these stains have increased, especially outside stores and eateries that sell paan and chewing tobacco products.
According to Harrow Online, people have also filed a petition against a newly opened paan shop in North Harrow. They have expressed concerns that the shop might lead to more paan chewing and spitting in the area.
After the video showing red stains on the streets circulated on social media, several people blamed migrants, particularly from the Indian community, for the situation.
One person commented, "Gujaratis, Punjabis, Goans all menace in the UK. Trump needs to take over the UK soon."
Another wrote, "We don't need other people to destroy the image of India. Our people is already doing their best work across whole world."
"One of the reasons Indian passport is losing its dignity," commented another.
"The British took over India, Now Indians are taking over Britain," wrote the next.
Earlier, in 2019, the Leicester City police installed bilingual signboards in English and Gujarati warning residents against paan spitting. The signage read, "Spitting paan on the street is unhygienic and anti-social. You could be fined." And violation of this would lead to a fine of $150 (approx. Rs 12,525), they said.
In 2014, the Brent Council spent 20,000 pounds (Rs 21 lakh) to clean the paan stains left behind by people, reported Business Today.
According to the Kilburn Times, The High Road in Wembley was being plagued with paan spitting in 2009, prompting calls for the council to take action. Nicola Patterson, a resident of Kilburn, started a petition to outlaw the practice in 2014.
