An eight-year-old climate change activist from Northeast India’s Manipur is angry at the Narendra Modi government.

Licypriya Kangujam, the young climate change activist who won the World Children Peace Prize Laureate in 2019, was amongst the women chosen by Prime Minister Modi to take over his social media accounts on International Women’s Day. Kangujam, however, turned down the offer.

The activist is angry that the government acknowledged her as a person who is inspiring. “Dear Narendra Modi ji, Please don’t celebrate me if you are not going to listen my voice,” Licypriya’s Twitter account said in response to MyGovIndia’s tweet acknowledging her as one of the many girls and women in India who ‘Inspire Us’.

“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!” her Twitter handle added.

The Twitter bio on her account says that it is managed by her guardian.

#SheInspiresUs is a campaign launched by Modi to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th, 2020. He has offered to give away his social media accounts to women “whose life & work inspire us. This will help them ignite motivation in millions.”

Post the announcement, MyGovIndia – a government Twitter handle – has been sharing stories of girls and women across the country – who have made their mark in their respective fields and inspired others to follow.

As the MyGovIndia tweet mentioned, Licypriya is a 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.

In 2019, she was chosen as a featured environmental activist along with Greta Thunberg and Jamie Margolin in United Nations Development Programme, young people and climate fighting for a stolen future.

In June 2019, she protested in front of the Parliament House of India addressing Modi to enact the climate change law in India.

She has attended UNESCO Partners’ Forum 2019, COP25 and 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Photo: Time8