Andhra man compared Kolkata to a 'starving African city' article went viral has drawn criticism

Andhra man compared Kolkata to a 'starving African city': A post calling Kolkata the “dirtiest city of India” has gone viral on social media. A designer DS Balaji posted a series of posts on X about his visit to the City of Joy.

"Kolkata - The Dirtiest City of India. Sharing my personal experience, of the recent visit to the Capital of West Bengal. The most unhygienic experience I have had in an Indian city. Requesting to take this thread positively. Though I don't care much if you don't," he wrote.

Kolkata - The Dirtiest City of India
Thread

Sharing my personal experience, of the recent visit to the Capital of West Bengal. The most unhygienic experience I have had in an Indian city.

Requesting to take this thread positively. "Though I don't care much if you don't." pic.twitter.com/SWr4DgSFui

— DS Balaji (@balajidbv) November 5, 2024

He posted pictures of localities full of garbage and open drains in Sealdah and Bada Bazaar. He said the air was filled with the smell of urine and he couldn’t breathe properly.

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"This is not some Starving African city, it's Kolkata. Locals were enjoying breakfast from a shop on top of the gutter nearby," he wrote, and shared the picture of a woman.

He has never seen anything like this anywhere else in India. "Vendors were sitting on top of a gutter and selling things In Kolkata. No, I have never seen it anywhere else in India. No matter how poor, or bad Infrastructure. And I have travelled a lot. It's just a lack of civic and hygiene in the city, which is so sad to see," he wrote.

Then he posted a picture of a vegetable market and said he didn’t eat for two days after seeing the condition there. "The food which you will eat is kept on a gutter, filthy smelling floor. While people are just fighting, abusing and spitting here and there," he claimed.

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He said during his visit to the famous Kaali Ghaat temple he "lost thousands of rupees" as everyone kept trying to sell him things. "Even inside the Temple, the priest would get agitated if you don't pay them," he added.

"I personally felt Kolkata to be the most depressing, low energy, low-frequency city. I may have visited all the wrong places, at all at the wrong times. As a caring aware Indian citizen, I wish the best, for this city. May it improve, grow, and build like others," he wrote.

The post has received sharp criticism after it went viral with over 6.2 million views. Some are shocked to see the condition in the pictures while many others are saying why Balaji is showing a particular area and judging the whole city on that.

"Bro you went to old Kolkata! Every city in India have the old part where new infra cannot be made. And they are dirty. Go to salt lake, Newtown you will get to know the new and clean Kolkata. But yes Kolkata is still way behind in civic sense," one user wrote.

"Sorry for your experience, but it seems you mostly visited Old Kolkata, which is a bit dirty, even I admit it. If possible, try to visit NewTown, Victoria," read another comment.

"I was born, brought up, schooled in Kolkata. I don't need to prove my love for my city but also can't ignore the truth you just spoke. Unfortunate and painful truth and face of my city," said a user.

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