Toilet talk has not only caused some discomfort at the highest levels of Indian polity. But it became a storm in a tea cup in the royal palace in Britain, too. This was before Prince William and Kate Middleton’s marriage. Kate’s mother uttered the disgraceful word “toilet” in front of the Queen and it had considerably peeved her. No wonder the wrong vocabulary roused eyebrows in the royal circle. The “loo” is the preferred word in the British aristocracy. The dating couple went on to split later- of course for other reasons. In the west (North America), the term washroom or bathroom would be more socially appropriate. The toilet there means the actual receptacle. Sorry for too much information!

In both India and England, toilet talk unceremoniously ignited feelings associated with some sort of bigotry - namely religious sentiment in India and class-consciousness in Britain. Such touchiness about the mere word “toilet” is really much ado about nothing. Both British royalty and the Indian public must look at the graver issue underneath. While the British royalty seriously needs to rise above such pettiness to the mission of rebuilding a classless British society spearheaded by the Labour Party, Indian leadership must seriously think about the toilet-less situation that common Indians are grappling with.

Can we (Indians) not spare our “sentiments” for the sake of the untold discomfort and agonies of our female counterparts who have to suffer everyday due to the lack of toilets? Mr. Narendra Modi had lamented over their discomfort of the compulsion to ease themselves in open due to the absence of toilets. Who knows the discomfort of a nation where open urination and defecation is as pervasive as snowfall in Greenland! Is India one of the dirtiest countries in the world? As an Indian, I would have to say honestly, I do not want to face the question nor do I want to ‘google’ the answer.

To read the further article please get your copy of Eastrn Panorama April issue @http://www.magzter.com/IN/Hill-Publications/Eastern-Panorama/News/ or mail too contact @easternpanorama.in