"India is mocked, Europe gains sympathy": Polish woman questions

As the rest of the world struggles with the scorching summer heat, a Polish woman's post on social media is going viral, calling out the double standards in global climate responses. 

Agnieszka Hada, a Polish-Indian content creator, has alleged that global media and social media users apply different standards when reporting on climate crises in India and Western countries.

Agnieszka Hadala, a Polish-born, India-based content creator, alleged in an Instagram video that global media and social media users apply different standards when reporting on climate crises in India and the West. 

She asked why countries in Europe receive sympathy during severe weather events, when India is often portrayed as "backward" when facing similar challenges.

"When ridicule is only for India, why is empathy limited to the West?" she asked in the video. 

Notably, Hadala recorded the video while visiting her home country of Poland, which is currently experiencing a severe heat wave. She said temperatures, once considered rare in the country, have soared to 35 degrees Celsius. She noted that there are reports of schools being closed, outdoor activities being restricted, infrastructure being strained, roads and railway tracks melting, and increased stress on power systems. 

She also pointed out that many homes and offices in Europe do not have air conditioning or even ceiling fans, making it difficult to endure the heat.

She then compared the situation with India, where temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius are common in summer, and can even reach 50 degrees in some areas. "Now, think about this: in India, 35 degrees is considered comfortable in many places. Summers in India regularly cross 40 degrees, reaching 50 degrees Celsius in many areas. However, whenever India faces a challenge, the foreign media is quick to call India "backward". But today, where are those headlines?" she asked. 

Hadala defended the viral images of people sleeping outside during a power outage on Mumbai's Versova beach. Hadala said in the video that Indians were widely ridiculed for trying to escape the heat. In comparison, she argued that Europeans seeking relief outside during the current heatwave are met with understanding and concern, rather than ridicule.

"Remember when photos of an Indian sleeping on Versova beach or in parks during a power outage went viral around the world? They became memes, jokes. India was mocked. Today, in some parts of Europe, people spend their nights sleeping on beaches and grass in parks because that is the cheapest air conditioning option for them. This time, the world is not mocking them - it is showing them empathy. Empathy is what every human being deserves," she said.

She made it clear that her message was not intended to dismiss India's problems. She acknowledged that the country still struggles with poverty, infrastructure gaps and other development challenges. However, she argued that comparisons with Western countries often ignore the magnitude of governing a country of over 1.4 billion people.

Using the example of managing a household, she said that running a household of two cannot be compared to meeting the needs of hundreds of people simultaneously. Hadala also highlighted India's rapid infrastructure growth in the last decade, pointing to the development of metro networks, highways, airports, digital payments, affordable cooling solutions and public infrastructure.

"Criticize India where it deserves criticism, but celebrate India's achievements with the same confidence. Because if we don't respect our own country, no one else will," she said.

Her words, which said that heat waves in countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are often considered normal, despite claiming thousands of lives and putting huge strain on health systems, workers and agriculture, have moved many social media users, especially those from South Asia. However, others argued that every extreme weather event deserves compassion, no matter where it occurs, and that comparing disasters is ultimately unhelpful.

Her words, which said that heat waves in countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are often considered normal, despite claiming thousands of lives and putting huge strain on health systems, workers and agriculture, have moved many social media users, especially those from South Asia. However, others argued that every extreme weather event deserves compassion, no matter where it occurs, and that comparing disasters is ultimately unhelpful.

Her words, which said that heat waves in countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are often considered normal, even though they claim thousands of lives and put huge strain on health systems, workers and agriculture, have moved many social media users, especially those from South Asia. 

Watch the video here: