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A video of an international tourist struggling to dispose of her trash at an Indian Airbnb has ignited fresh outrage on social media, not just over waste management but also about how India is perceived globally.
Girl using an Airbnb in India and has to find a way to discard trash. pic.twitter.com/S5giE2RuAC
— Klara (@klara_sjo) August 2, 2025
In the clip, the tourist is seen bewildered by the lack of a dustbin, ultimately witnessing a security guard hurl her garbage over a wall, an act that many saw as emblematic of India’s civic indifference. While some called out the country’s systemic sanitation failures, others questioned the authenticity of the video, alleging it was staged for social media virality.
What followed was an avalanche of criticism from global users, branding Indian cities as chronically filthy. From blunt commentary on platforms like X to references about garbage near the Taj Mahal, the narrative quickly shifted from a single incident to a sweeping indictment of the country’s cleanliness.
While it’s true that Indian cities struggle with waste segregation, infrastructure gaps and civic apathy, citizens and business leaders alike, from Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw to Suhel Seth, have long been demanding reform and accountability from municipal systems.