A video shared by an Indian social media user has gone viral after showing a busy street in Amsterdam filled with litter, prompting a debate on civic sense and global cleanliness standards.

A video posted by an Indian social media user has sparked debate on global civic sense after showing a heavily littered street in the heart of Amsterdam. Shared by Rahul Mahajan on Tuesday, the footage shows heaps of garbage across Amsterdam Central with a caption, "British says Indians do not have civic sense and see their own civic sense."

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In the video, the man is heard saying, “People say India doesn’t have civic sense, but the streets of Amsterdam Central are full of trash.” Text flashes across the screen, “These streets of Amsterdam are filled with garbage, and yet foreigners say Indians don’t have civic sense.”

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The video went viral; some viewers admitted the iconic station area can get messy, they insisted it doesn’t represent the city at large.

One user wrote, “Amsterdam Central is a bit messy, but cleanliness in other areas is very good. Tourists only see this part and judge the whole Netherlands.” Another said, “I live in Amsterdam, the mess is actually made by tourists.”

Others drew comparisons between Indian cities and European streets. “Cleaner than some Indian roads,” one wrote, while another remarked, “Some people will never praise India.”

Notably, Amsterdam ranks as the 22nd cleanest city in the world with an AQI of 31, according to IQAir. The Netherlands stands at 9th place in the 2024 Environmental Performance Index, underscoring its strong environmental and cleanliness standards.