Man Called 'Uncivilised', 'Monkey' For Sleeping On Delhi Airport Bench Internet Fires Back: 'Have Some Empathy'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A social media post featuring a passenger sleeping across a bench at Delhi Airport has ignited a debate online, with many users criticising the individual who shared the image rather than the traveller seen resting.

The controversy began when X (formerly Twitter) user Pulkit Sharma posted a photograph of an unsuspecting passenger asleep on an airport bench. In the image, the traveller appears to be resting with a cabin bag placed under his head as a pillow.

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Sharma used the photograph to criticise what he described as a lack of civic sense among Indians and argued that such behaviour reflected poorly on public spaces.

Social Media User Criticises Passenger

In his post, Sharma wrote,“No government can bring civic sense to Indians. Utterly pathetic and shameful, this nut job has occupied this public space (meant to be shared) like he owns it.”

He also tagged Delhi Airport and suggested that a dedicated police force should be deployed within the airport premises to deal with such situations.

Expanding on his criticism, Sharma wrote,“Most uncivilised people. There are 100's of such filthy examples. Some are sitting with their bare feet on stands with total disregard for public hygiene, some are eating like the lowest of pests and leaving the debris there itself.”

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He further added,“Even an average bus stop of west looks cleaner and more civil than India's biggest airport. Full marks to the authorities for providing many modern facilities, but it has been provided to a bunch of monkeys.”

The post quickly gained attention on social media, drawing a large number of reactions and comments.

Internet Comes To Passenger's Defence

However, the majority of users who responded to the post disagreed with Sharma's assessment. Many argued that passengers often spend long hours waiting for connecting flights and that sleeping in airport terminals is a common sight around the world.

Several users said the criticism lacked empathy, especially given the physical strain associated with air travel and lengthy layovers.

One user wrote,“There is nothing wrong in sleeping on benches and seats in airport as people might be tired so please have some empathy. At least he has opened his shoes, In US, I have seen most people not opening their shoes while sleeping on benches in airport.”

Another commented,“Welcome aboard the civic sense outrage train, where complex problems are reduced to lazy stereotypes because they're great for venting and even better for social media traction.”

Users Say Sleeping At Airports Is Common Worldwide

Others pointed out that airport terminals are designed to accommodate travellers who may need to wait for extended periods between flights.

“It's Delhi airport, you can find hundreds of seats. But you want to sit exactly where he is sleeping just cuz he is tired. He might be waiting for his connecting flight. Sleeping on airport is not a civic sense issue,” one user wrote.

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Another person remarked,“Nothing wrong here. People can do only as much with infra provided and travel is tiring and one may need to stretch. Get off your high horse.”

A fifth user echoed similar sentiments, writing,“What the big deal here.. He removed his shoes, looks rich, must be paying lakhs/crores in taxes so the low IQ poor people can feed off on freebies. He's just taking rest with decent posture. You'd find them in 1st world white majority countries as well.”

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