Updated January 28th, 2020 at 21:36 IST
Licypriya Kangujam calls out people for calling her 'Greta for India'
An 8-year-old Manipuri climate activist, Licypriya Kangujam has called out the majority who has often referred to her as 'Greta of India' by a Twitter post.
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An 8-year-old Manipuri climate activist, Licypriya Kangujam has called out the majority who has often referred to her as 'Greta of India'. On January 27, she not only clarified how both teenagers have the 'same goal', but she has her 'own identity'. Furthermore, the Indian environmentalist claims that if people refer to her as 'Greta' they are not conveying her story, however, they are 'deleting a story'.
In the tweets that followed, Kangujam explained her journey to fight climate change and claimed that it started before Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg began skipping her school to strike outside the country's parliament.
Dear Media,
— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK)
Stop calling me “Greta of India”. I am not doing my activism to looks like Greta Thunberg. Yes, she is one of our Inspiration & great influencer. We have common goal but I have my own identity, story. I began my movement since July 2018 even before Greta was started. pic.twitter.com/3UEqCVWYM8
The 8-year-old had addressed the world leaders in Mongolia at a United Nations event on July 4, 2018, and started the movement called 'Child Movement'. On the other hand, the first day of Thunberg's strike was in August 2018 when the 16-year-old sat alone.
While just in a course of one year, the 17-year-old has gained popularity worldwide for her movement 'Fridays For Future', people did not notice Kangujam's efforts until July 21, 2019. The Manipuri climate activist also said that she has dropped out of school since February 2019 and started protesting when she was a year younger.
I even dropped out my school since February 2019 (before Grade 1 final exam) when I was just 7 years old due to my protests every week in front of the Parliament House of India. I sacrificed so much of my life in this tender age is not to called me “Greta of India”.
— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK)
Read - Trump Aide's Wife Deletes Instagram Post In Support Of Greta Thunberg
Netizens have mixed reactions
While Kangujam declared her side and called for 'own identity', netizens seem to have a mixed reaction to her request. The video that she posted has been viewed nearly two million times and some people 'agree' with her, others just wanted her to keep protesting and refrain from 'comparing'.
One of the Twitter users also said that Kangujam is not the Greta for India however, 'Thunberg is Licypriya of Sweden'. However, one of them also said that the 8-year-old should feel honoured for being called Greta.
Great effort. But please don’t drop out of school.
— rustam yadu (@rustamyadu)
WoW 👍
— SiE 📷 ⛳ 📑 (@se_journo)
Read - Ugandan Climate Activist Cropped From Photo With Greta Thunberg, Netizens Enraged
Dear Licypriya. I do not call you Greta of India! You are Licypriya from India! Let's share that everyone has the same thoughts! To protect the precious earth ...!
— Akimitsu Ishizuka (石塚昭光) (@j9IM67OZnObLMM8)
You are a 💎 GEM of INDIA (WORLD). 🌲🌳🌴
— Siddharth (@Insomniac_sidhu)
#Licypriya 🌍🌎🌏🗺️ 🇮🇳
Wow, use it as a boost. Its not a personal attack on you. I thought this was about how the environment is fixed. Not something to massage egos
— The poorest man in the world (@cdigilbert)
Read - Greta Thunberg Accuses Davos Billionaires Of 'completely Ignoring' Climate Demands
Read - Greta Thunberg Slams US Official, Says 'don't Need Degree To Know Climate Targets'
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Published January 28th, 2020 at 21:36 IST