Throughout history, there have been times that have called for communities and various other groups of people to come together to tackle a challenge. The Indian freedom struggle, for example, called for an entire nation’s people to resist together. However, in the approximately 4.5 billion years of the Earth’s existence, not one challenge has begged for its entire population to stand up to it.
And then came climate change.
Undoubtedly, a large number of people recognised and continue to recognise the threat climate change poses upon us, yet, we also see those that refuse to acknowledge it — our government included.
Licypriya Kangujam is a 9-year-old climate activist who has energetically and passionately been trying to persuade the Indian Government to take action on climate change. On 18 October 2020, as she stood with a few like-minded people outside the Parliament of India, peacefully protesting for much-required action on the Delhi air pollution crisis, Licypriya was arrested on no solid grounds.
To put it into perspective — a 9-year-old child was detained by grown police personnel because she was trying to demand a better and healthier future from those who should be actively working towards providing her with one anyway.
Licypriya was later released near Jantar Mantar with no explanations. Not only did the authorities fail to deliver policies that will protect the air people like Licypriya live in, but also silenced her when she tried to voice the concern out.
As said on Licypriya’s Instagram page, “It will be written in the history of the world that the police detained a 9-year-old kid in India for protesting against climate change.”
In 2020, this is the India we live in.
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