A local train in mumbai transforms into a makeshift dance floor as women perform Garba during a festival. Loud music, energetic spins, and a crowd in the middle of the train — yet, no one bats an eyelid.
Contrast this with a Muslim man quietly offering a two-minute namaz in the corner of a seat. Suddenly, outrage erupts, social media fumes, and communal optics take center stage.
The reality? Both acts are inappropriate for a public train — one disrupts space and comfort, the other sparks communal tension. The problem isn’t just prayer or dance; it’s how society chooses to perceive, tolerate, and weaponize minor public acts for sectarian optics.
1. Public Space = Shared Responsibility
A train isn’t a stage, a prayer hall, or a dance floor. Comfort, convenience, and mutual respect should come first.
2. Dancing Disturbs Too, But No Outrage
Garba in the middle of the train may disrupt passengers, block aisles, and annoy commuters — yet it is largely ignored. Loud celebrations are tolerated because they’re festive, not sectarian.
3. Prayer Sparks Hypocrisy
Two minutes of silent prayer in a corner suddenly triggers outrage. The act itself is harmless, but societal bias turns it into a controversy.
4. Both Acts Require Civic Sense
Ideally, everyone should refrain from disrupting shared spaces. Music, dancing, or prayer — all require awareness of others’ rights and space.
5. Double Standards Fuel Communal Narratives
Tolerance is not uniform. Celebratory acts get leeway. Religious acts get scrutiny. This selective outrage fosters division.
6. Public Transport Should Not Be a Battleground
Mumbai trains are lifelines for millions. They are meant for commuting, not performances, not debates on religious optics. Respect for space and rules is the only way forward.
7. Common Sense > Sectarian Politics
Instead of turning small incidents into communal flashpoints, society must enforce equal rules for all, regardless of religion, festival, or gender.
👉 The mumbai train is a mirror of society: festivity tolerated, faith scrutinized, common sense ignored. If public space is sacred, let’s treat it equally — whether it’s Garba, Namaz, or anyone’s two-minute expression.
click and follow Indiaherald WhatsApp channel