Manipur Climate Activist Licypriya Kangujam Schools Indian Politician For Calling Her “Foreign Tourist” In Tone-Deaf Tweet
There is no denying that we live in a country where most of the population is ignorant about so many things. And the sad reality is that our Indian politicians, the ones who run the country are also so ignorant and use wrong terminologies to address people belonging to this country. Moreover, most of the time it is the people from North-East India who take the brunt of this ignorance. Just take a recent example of this politician from Lucknow who called a young, popular climate activist – Licypriya Kangujam – from Manipur, a “foreign tourist”. However, she didn’t just sit back and take the ignorance, rather she schooled the politician in a simple yet impactful way.
Licypriya Kangujam is one of the youngest climate activists from around the world and she hails from Manipur, India. From meeting Greta Thunberg to standing outside the Indian parliament and constantly urging PM Modi to pass the climate change law – the young girl has done everything to battle climate change all the way.
https://twitter.com/manishjagan/status/1539537306268610562?s=20&t=GAKlBzwC2yew-cx83ucsug
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And while a lot of people from around the world know and appreciate her work, there are some people, important people, who don’t even recognise Licypriya Kangujam – not even as an Indian. Among those people is Manish Jagan Agrawal, an Indian politician from Lucknow, who recently tweeted how the “foreigner tourist” is forced to show the reality of climate change to the ruling government. How she has to grab their attention to the increasing filth that is growing around the Taj Mahal.
What the politician was referring to was one of the images shared by Licypriya Kangujam on her social media wherein she was seen highlighting how human beings have destroyed the beauty of the Taj Mahal by throwing litter around it. She was seen holding a placard in front of the Taj Mahal that read, “Behind the beauty of Taj Mahal is plastic pollution”.
Now, however nobel the politician’s intentions might be, it doesn’t take away from the fact his tweet was tone-deaf when he called Licypriya Kangujam who actually belongs to North East India a “foreigner”.
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Also Read: Licypriya Kangujam Is An Environmental Activist From India And She Doesn’t Want To Be Called ‘Greta Of India’. This Is Her Story
In fact, even Licypriya Kangujam replied to his tweet saying, “Hello Sir, I’m a proud Indian. I’m not a foreigner.” Many pointed out how people from that region have to face prejudice, bias, and racism by people of their own country.
For many, except the Agarwals, Sharmas, Guptas, and Patils etc, we all are foreigners.
— Javed Ladakh (@javedLadakh) June 23, 2022
Being a political leader this is not about hurry this reflects the reality about the ignorance of the people from NE. if he don't know where Manipur is then he should give up the politics. Otherwise don't shout 'Educate Agitate Organise' line of Babasaheb
— তুলিকা/तुलिका/Tulika (@Tbughn) June 22, 2022
such shameful racist people ,they dont even check what they utter in hate for nationalist . she is more Indian than u ever thought of her concerns says it all . https://t.co/MfyvXM2wSj
— Theosophist (@TheosophistIND) June 23, 2022
This! Time and again! https://t.co/CYiCwwhXj7
— Amit Pun-char-kar @asuph@mastodon.social (@asuph) June 23, 2022
https://twitter.com/MissJoshi98/status/1539846669038022656?s=20&t=ahp1pLjuNh-P23-0GlDW5A
I've translated my name in Hindi. I hope that is enough to not be misidentified in my own country? @manishjagan https://t.co/DxgDK2IeBN
— Irish Debbarma (आयरिश) (@bourbakirish) June 23, 2022
This kind of ignorance is what gives birth to hate crimes. And can we really blame the countrymen when their leaders are themselves being tone-deaf and are engaging in this kind of racism?
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