In MP village, swear words invite Rs 500 fine

INDORE: In this village in Madhya Pradesh's Burhanpur district, a swear word, even if not aimed at anybody, can not only extract a stiff fine out of your pocket but also compel you to pick up the broom.

Wedged in a quiet corner of Burhanpur, Borsar village has found a unique way to make people regret their loose tongues and occasional verbal slips.

Here, mouthing a swear word attracts a penalty of Rs 500, or worse, an hour with a broom in hand, sweeping the very streets that you swore on or spoke ill of.

About 20 kms from the district headquarters, this village of nearly 6,000 residents has turned civility as not only a part of local etiquette but also a community mission.

The rule, introduced by sarpanch Antar Singh, deputy sarpanch Vinod Shinde and a social worker Ashwin Patil, is simple: mind your language or scrape dust off the streets.

The impact has been quite telling on public discourse at the village — locals and even outsiders now think twice before letting expletives fly.

"Children as young as 12–13 years had started using abusive language openly. We were also witness to two to three serious disputes recently where people openly mouthed swear words on mothers and sisters. One person would abuse, the other would retaliate in kind. It just kept getting worse," the sarpanch told TOI, adding, "We felt the need to step in and put an end to this."

The change is already visible on the ground. "Earlier, people would hurl abuses casually at crossroads. Now they hesitate and think before speaking. There is a sense of fear. Women in the village are happy — it is a positive change," Singh added.

The idea was first mooted by Patil, who returned to the village after spending nearly a decade in Mumbai, working as a small-time actor.

"There was just too much verbal abuse flying around, vitiating the ambience around us. I presented the idea to the sarpanch and the deputy sarpanch, and they fell for it," the 29-year-old, now a social worker, told TOI.

However, instead of limiting it to a random public announcement, the panchayat carried the idea forward by giving it the shape of a structured regulation. Posters were put up across the village, and residents took a collective pledge to keep their language clean.

Monitoring was decentralised, with more than 20 ward members entrusted with the responsibility of keeping watch on public speaking, especially at chaurahas (intersections) where locals typically gather.

If someone is caught violating the no-slang rule, a notice is issued immediately by the panchayat.

The initiative has also drawn in elders and residents, turning it into a shared responsibility rather than a top-down enforcement. "Villagers themselves are stepping forward. Senior members are also keeping an eye and guiding people," Patil said.

The language reform is part of a broader push to improve civic life in the village. Over the past three months, multiple initiatives have been rolled out — a cleanliness drive with dustbins installed across areas, plantation under a ‘har ghar hariyali' campaign, and free Wi-Fi access at key public squares using QR-based login.

Further, in a move aimed at building collective responsibility, the national anthem is played every morning at 8.30 am through temple speakers, prompting residents to pause their work and stand in respect — a practice that has continued for two months now.



Another initiative rooted in community support is a ‘seva room', where those who can afford it leave essential items for the needy to pick up without hesitation.

Back on the streets, however, it is the silence replacing abuses that stands out. In Borsar, discipline is no longer just advised — it is practiced, monitored, and, if required, enforced with a broom.
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