An Indian man in Canada has captured attention online after posting a video from Toronto that highlights the struggles of the homeless in the city. The clip, shared on Instagram by Nitish Advitiy, shows a man bending over a public street fountain to wash his clothes and later splashing water on his face.
(Also read: Indian vlogger calls New York subway station ‘haunted’ in viral video showing rust, litter and foul stench)
In the short video, the Indian man filming can be heard speaking in Hindi, which when translated reads, “I never imagined I would see such a scene here. This person is, I guess, homeless, and this is the condition of the homeless here.”
The text overlaid on the video read, “Poverty in Canada: Toronto’s homeless people,” while the caption accompanying the post stated, “Poor people in Canada wash their clothes like this.”
Internet reacts
Since being posted, the clip has amassed more than 181k views on Instagram and has attracted numerous reactions.
One user expressed surprise, writing, “I thought Canada was a land of opportunities, this is heartbreaking to watch.” Another added, “This shows that no country is perfect, poverty exists everywhere.” A third person noted, “At least he has water to wash, in some places even that is a luxury.”
Others, however, took a different view. “This is not poverty, this is neglect of social responsibility,” one user commented. Another remarked, “Homelessness in North America is more about the system failing people than individuals failing themselves.” Someone else added, “Seeing this makes me realise how similar struggles are across the world, whether in India or abroad.”
There were also more critical takes. One person wrote, “Homelessness is a global issue, not just Canada. We should not judge an entire nation from one video.” Another remarked, “Toronto is known for its large homeless population, but the government must do more to provide shelters.”
