A man and a woman behind the ubiquitous safety door of every Mumbai flat start a polite conversation. “Sir, hum BMC se aaye hain Census survey ke liye. Can we speak with you for a couple of minutes,” they ask. You nod in acquiescence. A few ticks in a book the woman is holding, and five seconds later, the job is done. “Thank you, sir,” and they are ready to leave for the neighbouring flat. The perfunctory eye contact is enough for one to discern the lack of any threat. You offer them water, but they decline politely. And that’s that.

But not everyone is alike. There were reports of non-cooperation, intimidation, and verbal assaults as government employees went about doing their jobs. In today’s times of connectivity, perhaps the government needs to find a way to conduct an online or voice survey that’s genuine.