Licypriya Kangujam, an 11-year-old environmental activist from Manipur, has called out a tweet by a Samajwadi Party leader that identified her as a "foreign tourist".
The child activist had recently shared a photo from near the Taj Mahal to spread awareness on plastic pollution behind the iconic monument. In the photograph, she held a placard that read, "Behind the beauty of Taj Mahal is plastic pollution".
Behind the beauty of Taj Mahal! Thanks humans. ????
— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) June 21, 2022
You might be witnessing this scene when you visit the Taj Mahal. You may say it's very polluted but your 1 piece of polythene bag, one simple plastics water bottle led this situation when millions of people visit every year. pic.twitter.com/KriVT1ewvk
The post sparked criticism of authorities, with many targeting the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh.
विदेशी पर्यटक भी भाजपा शासित योगी सरकार को आईना दिखाने को मजबूर हैं ,
— Manish Jagan Agrawal (मनीष जगन अग्रवाल) (@manishjagan) June 22, 2022
भाजपा की सरकार में यमुना जी गंदगी से भरी पड़ी हैं ,ताजमहल को खूबसूरती पर ये गंदगी एक बदनुमा दाग है ,
विदेशी पर्यटक द्वारा सरकार को आईना दिखाना बेहद शर्मनाक है ,भारत और यूपी की ये छवि भाजपा सरकार ने बनाई है???? pic.twitter.com/vEjoJNuSZn
Samajwadi Party leader Manish Jagan Agrawal tweeted in Hindi, “Foreign tourists are also forced to show mirror to BJP-ruled Yogi government. Yamuna ji is full of filth under the BJP government. This filth is a bad stain on the beauty of the Taj Mahal. It is very shameful for foreign tourists to show mirror to the government. This image of India and UP has been created by the BJP government.”
Calling out the error, the 11-year-old activist tweeted, “Hello Sir, I'm a proud Indian. I'm not a foreigner.”
Hello Sir,
— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) June 22, 2022
I'm a proud Indian. I'm not a foreigner. ???? https://t.co/KBshDFJzQM
Mr Agrawal also commented on Ms Kangujam's post, citing media coverage of the story. He wrote, “Please read the news” and attached several news story headlines.
@LicypriyaK
— Manish Jagan Agrawal (मनीष जगन अग्रवाल) (@manishjagan) June 23, 2022
Please read the news pic.twitter.com/Isxkf7cRog
Later, Mr Agrawal corrected his mistake through a tweet. Once again, he shared Ms Kangujam's photo at the Taj Mahal and wrote, “This picture was shown by a news channel yesterday, in which this daughter of India was described as a foreigner, due to wrong news of the channel, there was a mistake in understanding.”
He praised the child activist's efforts, saying, “This daughter of India's save environment campaign is appreciated and we all are with this daughter of India.” He added, “Whatever confusion happened was because of the news channel.”
इस तस्वीर को कल एक न्यूज चैनल ने दिखाया ,जिसमें भारत की इस बेटी को विदेशी बताया गया ,चैनल की गलत खबर की वजह से समझने में भूल हुई ,
— Manish Jagan Agrawal (मनीष जगन अग्रवाल) (@manishjagan) June 23, 2022
भारत की इस बेटी के पर्यावरण बचाओ अभियान की सराहना है और हम सब भारत की इस बेटी @LicypriyaK के साथ हैं ,
जो भी भ्रम हुआ वो न्यूज चैनल की वजह से हुआ! pic.twitter.com/vxizlFyTVT
However, Mr Agrawal's error drew flak on social media, with many users pointing out that he should have checked facts before tweeting.
She is from Manipur.
— Ranadeb Bhattacharya (@RanadebBhattac2) June 23, 2022
They are in such a hurry to tweet that they actually don't try to look who the handler is
— Inudin Sayyed (@inudinIM) June 22, 2022
If the media misprints your name as Anish Lagan, does that mean that becomes your name? Does an influential person like you, whose voice reaches several people throughout the internet, not crosscheck their facts before posting anything and social media?
— Himanshu Dutta (@Himansh82279267) June 23, 2022
Reacting to Ms Kangujam's post, some Twitter users extended a helping hand to solve the plastic pollution issue around the Taj Mahal.
One user wrote, “Dear Daughter, please call me when you plan to collect the litter which you have shown in the picture. I'll be there to help you and we together will make India clean.”
Dear Daughter @LicypriyaK, please call me when you plan to collect the litter which you have shown in the picture. I'll be there to help you and we together will make India clean
— झारखण्डी किसान ???? (@jharkhandiKisan) June 23, 2022
Licypriya Kangujam's later posted that her tweet had prompted a cleanliness drive at the site.
Happy to see my one tweet forced to clean garbage around Taj Mahal by the authorities yesterday. But I want a permanent solution. Ban single use plastic completely in & around all heritage site of India under a law.
— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) June 23, 2022
Anyway change is coming whether you like it or not. ???? pic.twitter.com/jMM7v8WVas
She also shared that the Agra Municipal Corporation had imposed fine of Rs 1 lakh on the authority responsible for keeping the area around Taj Mahal clear.
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