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Licypriya Kangujam, an 11-year-old self-styled climate activist from Manipur, made a bold statement at the United Nations Climate Conference 2023 (COP28) in Dubai. She courageously dashed onto the stage, holding a sign above her head that read, “End fossil fuels. Save our planet and our future.” Despite being in the spotlight for her environmental advocacy, Licypriya’s journey has been marred by a series of controversies and allegations.
One of the most notable incidents involving Licypriya occurred at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) held in Dubai in 2023. Licypriya disrupted a high-level session by protesting to phase out fossil fuels.
Licypriya’s journey to the international forum has been marked by controversy. She has been accused of spreading hate messages and disinformation since ethnic violence broke out on May 3. Many locals who are familiar with her achievements and the fraudulent role played by her father in building her ‘activist’ career are not surprised by these developments.
Licypriya’s father, Kanarjit Kangujam, was arrested in New Delhi and charged with forgery and cheating. He has been involved in a crime saga that dates back to 2015, involving complaints by nearly a hundred children from 12 countries. They allege that they were swindled by Kangujam and his organization, the International Youth Committee (IYC), into paying $300 for youth exchange programs across Europe and Asia that never materialized.
15 big lies of Licypriya and her family
- Tree Plantation Claims: Licypriya has made claims on her Twitter handle about planting approximately 51,000 trees in total, which is equivalent to planting 16 trees every day since her birth for the last 8+ years. However, if we calculate based on the number of days she has been alive (3040 days) minus the first two years of her life (730 days), we get 2310 days. If she planted 51,000 trees in 2310 days, that would mean she planted approximately 22.07 trees per day. This discrepancy raises questions about the validity of her claims.
- Misuse of UN and UNESCO logos: The alleged scams committed by Kangujam involved the use of logos of the UN and UNESCO to legitimize his events. This misuse of logos from reputable international organizations not only misled the participants of these events but also tarnished the reputation of these organizations. Her father’s involvement in various scams and controversies, including the misuse of UN and UNESCO logos and the collection of large amounts of money through fraudulent means, has cast a shadow over her activism. These controversies have led to questions about the authenticity of her activism and the legitimacy of her achievements.
- False claims about family’s financial status: While Licypriya claimed that her family does not own a house, property, or a car, her father was arrested for collecting a large amount of money by duping students. Over 100 students from various countries had paid $300 for a fake youth exchange program run by Kanarjit Kangujam. He had collected at least $44,685 through this scam, more than ₹35 lakh.
- Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Children Award Controversy: In July 2019, Licypriya was conferred the “Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Children Award” by Munna Kumar, founder of Khwab Foundation1. However, it was later revealed that this award might not be legitimate. Munna Kumar, who presented the award, was reportedly the convener at the International Youth Committee (IYC), an organization run by Licypriya’s father. This connection raises questions about the authenticity of the award and the credibility of the organization conferring it.
- Misrepresenting her achievements: Licypriya has been accused of misrepresenting her achievements. For instance, she claimed to have received the “World Children Peace Prize” in 2019. However, The Times of India reported that the Institute for Economics and Peace clarified on Twitter that they do not issue awards.
- World Children Peace Prize Controversy: Licypriya claimed to have received the “World Children Peace Prize” from the Global Peace Index (GPI). However, when GPI was asked about this, they clarified that their director was asked by the event organizers to confer the award and that they do not have any such award. Licypriya was conferred with the “India Peace Prize 2019” by the International Youth Committee (IYC), an organization run by her father. However, the logo of IYC can be seen on the honor, raising questions about the authenticity of the award.
- International Youth Committee (IYC) Controversy: The International Youth Committee, run by Licypriya’s father, KK Singh, has been accused of cheating many young people in the country and selling awards for money. This raises serious ethical concerns and questions about the legitimacy of the awards conferred by this organization.
False Claims about Family Connections: KK Singh, Licypriya’s father, has allegedly claimed that Kiren Rijiju, the Youth Minister, is his cousin's brother. He reportedly used this supposed connection to promise youths international exchanges. However, it was later revealed that he had made a scam of more than 60,000 USD using Rijiju’s name. This raises serious ethical concerns and questions about the legitimacy of his claims.
- False Claims about Climate Change Education: Licypriya has been accused of making false claims at TEDxGateway that the governments of Rajasthan and Gujarat have communicated with her about introducing Climate Change as a subject in schools. However, it was later revealed that she had merely requested an appointment from Rajbhavan and received a response to that. This discrepancy between her claims and the actual events raises questions about the authenticity of her statements.
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- Connection with Taiwan Shipment: Licypriya's claim of receiving 100 oxygen concentrators from Taiwan has been questioned, especially regarding whether the consignment was received free of charge or was part of the crowdfunding initiative. Discrepancies have been pointed out regarding the number of oxygen concentrators sent to Manipur and their distribution, raising concerns about transparency.
- Licypriya’s Financial Condition: She recently posted a series of tweets describing her family’s poor financial condition. Despite the tone of the tweets, she did not explicitly ask for donations.
- Mismatch Between Claims and Lifestyle: Some people have raised questions about the discrepancy between her claims of poverty and the lifestyle she portrays on social media. For example, she tweeted from an iPhone, which some see as inconsistent with her claim that her family can’t afford a bed.
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- Social Media Posts: Netizens have pointed out previous social media posts that seem to contradict her claims of poverty. These include photos of her house, which appears to have necessary amenities and furniture, and her trips to international tourist destinations.
- Deletion of Tweets: After people started questioning her, she deleted some of her tweets, which some interpret as an admission that she can’t explain the discrepancies.
Who is Licypriya Kangujam?
Born on October 2, 2011, in Bashikhong, Manipur, India, Licypriya Kangujam has been actively campaigning for climate action in India since 2018. She has been advocating for new laws to curb India’s high pollution levels and to make climate-change literacy mandatory in schools. Her efforts have earned her recognition as one of the youngest climate activists globally.
An urgent message was sent out through her official handle, stating, “Licypriya just disrupted the High Level Session of #COP28 in Al Ghafat Hall by protesting to phase out fossil fuels and UAE Police has taken away her to unknown place. Kindly help me to trace her.”
Later, another tweet confirmed that Licypriya had been reunited with her mother but had been kicked out of #COP28UAE. Her badge was taken, and she was reportedly threatened with strong words, which left the young activist in tears.
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