'India Was Mocked, Europe Gets Empathy': Polish Woman Questions Double Standards Over Heatwave Reactions

An Instagram video by a Polish woman living in India has gone viral after she questioned what she described as a stark contrast in how the world reacts to climate-related crises in India and Europe. In the video, Agnieszka Hadała argued that while European countries receive sympathy during extreme weather events, India is often ridiculed for facing similar conditions.Dressed in a saree and wearing a bindi, Hadała opened the video by asking, "Why is empathy reserved for the West while ridicule is reserved for India?"She said global narratives frequently frame India's hardships as evidence of failure, whereas similar situations in Western countries are portrayed as humanitarian tragedies deserving compassion.To illustrate her point, Hadała referred

to the severe heatwave sweeping across Europe. Speaking from Poland, she said temperatures in the country's mountainous regions had climbed to around 35 degrees Celsius, levels she described as unusually intense for the region."When India suffers, it's called failure. When the West suffers, it's called a tragedy. More than 1,000 people have reportedly died in France and more around Europe as an intense heatwave grips the continent. I'm in Poland right now in a mountain region, but the temperature has crossed 35 degrees. Trust me, it feels brutal," she said.Hadała said the extreme heat had disrupted daily life across parts of Europe, with schools closing, outdoor activities being curtailed, roads and railway tracks reportedly affected, and electricity systems coming under pressure due to rising cooling demand. She also pointed out that many homes and workplaces in Europe lack air conditioning or even ceiling fans.According to a BBC report, Poland recorded a temperature of 40.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday. Referring to this, Hadała noted that such temperatures are common during summers in many parts of India, with several regions frequently recording highs above 40 degrees and, at times, approaching 50 degrees Celsius."Now, think about this: in India, 35 degrees is considered pleasant in many places. Indian summers regularly cross 40 degrees, and in several regions, even touch 50 degrees Celsius. Yet, whenever India faces a challenge, foreign media is quick to call India 'backwards.' But today, where are those headlines?" she asked.The content creator also revisited viral images of people sleeping outdoors during power cuts at Mumbai's Versova Beach, saying those visuals had been mocked internationally. In contrast, she argued, Europeans spending nights on beaches and in parks to escape the ongoing heatwave have largely been met with understanding."Remember when photos of an Indian sleeping on Versova Beach or in parks during power cuts were circulated around the world? They became memes, they became jokes. India was mocked.""Today, across parts of Europe, people are spending nights sleeping on beaches and grass in parks because that's the cheapest air conditioning option they have. This time, the world doesn't mock them—it empathizes. And empathy is exactly what every human deserves," she added.Later in the video, Hadała clarified that her remarks were not intended to dismiss India's problems. She acknowledged challenges such as poverty, infrastructure gaps and uneven development, but argued that international comparisons often overlook the country's size and complexity.Describing climate change as a global crisis affecting every nation, she said no country should be expected to be immune to its consequences."Climate extremes are being a global reality. No country is immune. Yet, somehow, only India is expected to be perfect," she said.She further argued that governing a nation of nearly 1.4 billion people presents challenges on a vastly different scale than those faced by smaller countries. Comparing it to managing a household, she said caring for two people could not be equated with meeting the needs of hundreds.Concluding the video, Hadała said India should certainly be criticised where necessary, but its achievements should also receive equal recognition.

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"Despite that, India has built one of the world's largest metro networks, expanded highways, airports, digital payments, affordable cooling, and public infrastructure at an unprecedented pace over the last decade… Criticize India where criticism is deserved, but celebrate India's achievements with the same confidence. Because if we don't respect our own country, no one else will."