"I don't think its considered a neat way of eating; its taken as being zero in eating etiquette no matter how convenient it may seem."
If we wash our hands well before and after eating, where is the lack of neatness? Of course, being born in theh sub-continent, this is not an issue for me. Looks like most folks here are born in the west - so I can understand why some are squeamish about use of hands while eating