Eight-year-old climate activist Licypriya Kangujam on Friday refused to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s #SheInspiresUs campaign for International Women’s Day, asking him not to “celebrate” her if he was “not going to listen to her voice”. Kangujam, who hails from Manipur, has addressed world leaders on climate change and also staged a protest outside Parliament last year.

“Please don’t celebrate me if you are not going to listen my voice,” Kangujam told Modi in a tweet. “Thank you for selecting me amongst the inspiring women of the country under your initiative #SheInspiresUs. After thinking many times, I decided to turn down this honour.”

Kangujam’s tweet was a response to a post written by the government of India as part of its campaign to look for potential women for an exercise announced by Modi for International Women’s Day. On March 8, the prime minister plans to “give away” his social media accounts to women whose “life and work inspire us”, and has invited suggestions using the hashtag #SheInspiresUs.

Calling her an inspiration to many, the government tweeted: “Licypriya Kangujam is a child environmental activist from Manipur. In 2019, she was awarded a Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Children Award, a World Children Peace Prize, and an India Peace Prize. Isn’t she inspiring? Do you know someone like her? Tell us, using #SheInspiresUs.”

Also read: ‘Don’t call me India’s Greta Thunberg and erase my story’: Eight-year-old Licypriya Kangujam

Kangujam told The Indian Express that she believed the rejection would force the government to “pay heed to my demands”. “I have neither been called nor invited to discuss my concerns,” she told the newspaper in an interview. “Our leaders and politicians never consider climate change to be a serious issue and that is perhaps is the saddest part.”

“It [the campaign] may be a good initiative to them, but considering the crimes against women and children, I don’t think it can solve anything,” the eight-year-old added. “This will be like applying a fairness cream on our face which no longer stays once you clean yourself. Instead, I want him [Narendra Modi] to listen to my voice and our leaders to take climate change seriously.”