‘Like a fairness cream which won’t last’: 8-year-old climate activist turns down PM Modi’s #SheInspiresUs honour

@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 . pic.twitter.com/bJLEDIwfpH

— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) March 5, 2020

Responding to this, Kangujam, who had staged a protest outside Parliament in July last year, wrote: “Dear Narendra Modi ji, Please don’t celebrate me if you are not going to listen to 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 turn down this honour. Jai Hind!”

Speaking to indianexpress.com later, Kangujam said it is an honour to attain recognition from the government, but she could not see her demands to curb climate change fall on deaf ears.

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

“It (the campaign) may be a good initiative to them, but considering the crimes against women and children, I don’t think it can solve anything. This will be like applying a fairness cream on our face which no longer stays once you clean yourself,” she added. “Instead, I want him (Modi) to listen to my voice and our leaders to take climate change seriously.”

The #SheInspiresUs is a social media campaign is dedicated to women “whose life and work will help ignite motivation in millions”. “This Women’s Day, I will give away my social media accounts to women whose life & work inspire us. This will help them ignite motivation in millions. Are you such a woman or do you know such inspiring women? Share such stories using #SheInspiresUs,” Modi had tweeted on March 3.

Thanks everyone who joined today’s #ClimateStrike in Mumbai today. It was remarkable. Our voice deserves to heard by the World by fighting all odds. WE ARE UNSTOPPABLE. ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE. CHANGE IS POSSIBLE. Jai Hind!#ClimateEmergency #ClimateActionNow pic.twitter.com/sls7gMip9v

— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) March 6, 2020

The activist hoped that her refusal will help attract the attention of the government towards her concerns. “When I first got the news, I couldn’t believe it. After confirming the same, I felt proud but was also very sad. I asked myself if I should accept such a recognition rather than continuously pushing my demands forward to the governments,” Kangujam said.

School students joined Licypriya Kangujam at an Earth Day walk on Friday. (Twitter/@LicypriyaK)

“I believe my rejection will force the government to pay heed to my demands. I have neither been called nor invited to discuss my concerns. Our leaders and politicians never consider climate change to be a serious issue and that is perhaps is the saddest part,” she added.

<p “width=420″ lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&gt;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

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The child activist has been pressing for a law to regulate carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases. She is also seeking the inclusion of climate change as a compulsory subject in the school curriculum.

The child activist has been pressing for a law to regulate carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases. (Twitter/@LicypriyaK)

Besides this, she has demanded the plantation of a minimum of 10 trees by students in order to clear the final exams.

“All the above three policies are possible to change and other countries of the world can follow the same. This can help to fight climate change and also to change the system of the world,” she said.

Proud of being a “Girl Child”.

Girls, everywhere, are changing the world. You can change the whole World. 💪🏻✊🏻👧🏻 #WomensDay #GenerationEquality pic.twitter.com/cvf5AR9fvV

— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) March 6, 2020

Kangujam said she had addressed world leaders in Mongolia at a UN event on July 4, 2018.