climate change / Kool Kanya News

9-Year-Old Climate Activist Licypriya Detained For Protesting

. 3 min read . Written by Prerna Prakash
9-Year-Old Climate Activist Licypriya Detained For Protesting

Licypriya Kangujam is a nine-year-old climate activist and climate change warrior who is fighting for change. She is demanding that the Indian government bring a comprehensive climate change law to control air pollution.

She has been protesting at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi to raise awareness and make the government pay attention to her demands. On 18 October 2020, she–along with some of her fellow climate change warriors–was allegedly detained by the Delhi Police at a nearby station for protesting for climate change outside the Parliament house. 

According to the social media posts on Licypriya’s Twitter, the children were detained and then later released in front of the Jantar Mantar. A video posted by Licypriya on Twitter shows her and her fellow activists being intimidated by a heavy presence of armed police and security officers.

The police took the nine-year-old without consent from her parents or guardians, and she was not traceable for a while as well. 

Twelve-year-old Aarav Seth was also detained by the police for the same. 

The Twitterati have raised their voices against the unjust and undemocratic way that the protest was handled. 

These climate change demonstrators were non-violent and peaceful but were intimidated in an attempt to curb their demands. 

In 2019, Licypriya Kangujam was honored with the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Children’s Award, and in 2020, she was detained for standing up for her rights. A young indigenous girl who summoned up her courage to speak up for her generation was subdued and detained by armed police. 

So many young girls are silenced for standing up for what they believe in. Many climate activists are facing a lot of backlash and flack for voicing their opinions and exercising their rights. 

It’s time we listen to these young women instead of silencing them when they raise their voices.

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