Srinagar, March 15 -- What's wrong with saying 'Don't Litter,' 'Don't Urinate,' or 'Don't Drink' in Public Places? Last month, posters urging tourists to respect local culture and tradition and avoid liquor were removed in Kashmir, the Indian Express reported.

Is it really too much to ask that we respect the sanctity of public spaces? Why does a simple plea to not pollute, not defile, and not indulge in excess become such a bone of contention? Every locality across the globe has these basic rules-preserving cleanliness, ensuring respect & fostering communal living. In fact, it's almost standard to ask people to respect the spaces they enter, anywhere in the world. Yet, in Kashmir, when such modest requests appear on walls, they vanish as...