"India Gets Mocked, Europe Gets Empathy": Polish Woman Questions Global Coverage Of Heatwave Crisis

As much of Europe struggles through an intense summer heatwave, a post by a Polish woman on social media has gone viral for highlighting what she calls a double standard in global reactions to extreme weather. In an Instagram video, Agnieszka Hadała, a Poland-born content creator based in India, accused global media and social media users of applying different standards when covering climate crises in India and the West. She questioned why countries in Europe receive sympathy during extreme weather events while India is often portrayed as "backward" when facing similar challenges.

"Why is empathy reserved for the West while ridicule is reserved for India?" she asked in the video. 

Notably, Hadała recorded the video while visiting her home country of Poland, which is currently experiencing an intense heatwave. She said temperatures have climbed to 35 degrees Celsius, once considered rare in the country. She pointed out that schools have shut down, outdoor activities have been restricted, and infrastructure has come under strain, with reports of melting roads and railway tracks and increased pressure on power systems. She also noted that many homes and offices in Europe lack air conditioning or even ceiling fans, making the heat harder to endure.

She then contrasted the situation with India, where temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius are common during summer and can even approach 50 degrees in some regions. "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 questioned. 

Watch the video here:

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Further in the video, Hadała also defended the viral images of people sleeping outdoors during a power outage at Mumbai's Versova beach, saying Indians were widely mocked for trying to escape the heat. In comparison, she argued, Europeans seeking relief outdoors during the current heatwave are being met with understanding and concern instead of ridicule.

"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 said.

She clarified that her message was not meant to dismiss India's problems. The country, she acknowledged, continues to grapple with poverty, infrastructure gaps, and other developmental challenges. However, she argued that comparisons with Western nations often ignore the sheer scale of governing a country of more than 1.4 billion people.

Using the example of managing a household, she said running a family of two cannot be compared with meeting the needs of hundreds of people at once. Hadała also highlighted India's rapid infrastructure growth over the past decade, pointing to the expansion of metro networks, highways, airports, digital payments, affordable cooling solutions and public infrastructure.

"Criticise 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," she concluded.

Her remarks struck a chord with many social media users, particularly those from South Asia, who said heatwaves in countries such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are often treated as normal despite claiming thousands of lives and placing enormous pressure on healthcare systems, workers, and agriculture. Others, however, argued that every extreme weather event deserves compassion regardless of where it occurs and that comparing tragedies is ultimately unhelpful.

Meanwhile, Europe is enduring one of its most severe heatwaves in recent years. Temperatures have climbed above 40 degrees Celsius in parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, and the Balkans, prompting authorities to issue health warnings, restrict outdoor work in some regions, and increase emergency medical services. Scientists warn that climate change is making heatwaves across Europe more frequent, longer-lasting, and more intense, with vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and outdoor workers facing the greatest health risks.