'Don’t celebrate me if you are not going to listen': Manipuri child climate activist Licypriya Kangujam turns down Modi's #SheInspiresUs campaign

Child environmental activist from Manipur Licypriya Kangujam turned down the offer to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s #SheInspiresUs campaign on International Women’s Day, saying she doesn’t want to be “celebrated” as the prime minister doesn’t “listen” to the young activist’s voice.

Dear @narendramodi Ji,
Please don’t celebrate me if you are not going to listen my voice.

Thank you for selecting me amongst the inspiring women of the country under your initiative #SheInspiresUs. After thinking many times, I decided to turns down this honour. 🙏🏻

Jai Hind! pic.twitter.com/pjgi0TUdWa

— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) March 6, 2020

The government had chosen the eight-year-old environmental activist as one of the women to run Modi’s social media accounts as part of his #SheInspiresUs campaign — dedicated to women “whose life and work will help ignite motivation in millions” on Sunday. Taking to Twitter, the government on Friday shared the story of Licypriya as one of the inspirations. “LicypriyaK is an child environmental activist from Manipur. In 2019, she was awarded a Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Children Award, a World Children Peace Prize, and an India Peace Prize. Isn’t she inspiring? Do you know someone like her? Tell us, using #SheInspiresUs,” MyGovIndia tweeted. However, Licypriya gave a cold shoulder to the prime minister after her demands to curb climate change fell on deaf ears. She wrote on Twitter, “Government don’t listen to my voice and today they selected me as one of the inspiring woman of the country. Is it fair?” Not just the government, Licypriya trained guns at other political parties and politicians alike for not raising their voices against climate crisis at the ongoing Parliament session. She also warned them against using her for their “political gains and propagandas”.

Dear brothers/ sisters/ Sir/ Madam,

Stop all propaganda to bully me. I’m not against anyone. I just wants system change, not climate change.

I don’t expect anything from anyone except I want our leaders to listen my voice.

I believe my rejection will helps to listen my voice.

— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) March 7, 2020

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The activist hoped that her refusal will help attract the attention of the government towards her concerns. Modi raked an online storm after his cryptic announcement on Monday that he was "thinking" of exiting from all the social media platforms . In the tweet, he said: “This Sunday, thinking of giving up my social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Will keep you all posted.”

This Sunday, thinking of giving up my social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube. Will keep you all posted.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 2, 2020

The next day he revealed that he planned to hand over his social media accounts to women, “whose work and life inspire us”, commemorating the International Women’s Day on 8 March. To highlight the lives of these women, the government started a social media campaign called #SheInspiresUs. Licypriya has been pushing for a law to regulate carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases. She has also sought the inclusion of climate change as a compulsory subject in the school curriculum. In the past, the child activist has been often referred to as the ‘Greta of India’ which spurred a lot of discontentment in her.