Dia Mirza's cracker-free Diwali appeal: HC expresses deep pain and displeasure; asks BMC to re-upload her video

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court has called the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) removal of actor Dia Mirza’s video urging citizens to avoid firecrackers and noise pollution “unfortunate” and asked the civic body to restore it.“We would desire that in the event any goodwill message of any celebrity was taken off from the Corporation’s social media, it would be ideal if the same is put back in the spirit of what the Supreme Court observed that the festival is for everybody to celebrate. No person can be isolated from any festival being celebrated in this country,” the court observed.The HC, while taking up the suo motu PIL, hearing, said it was “disturbed at comments made by certain persons in regard to celebrities who had participated and assisted in public cause”.“The incident which has taken place yesterday, which in our opinion was unfortunate, was without taking into consideration the solemnity of the court orders and the whole intention and object of what was being sought to be achieved by spreading such awareness,” the court said.Reacting to the court's direction on the video of film actor Dia Mirza, UBT Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray said, “The BJP makes every administration they take over into a circus! Total clownery in the BMC, where the mayor and her bosses claim they don’t know what the administration does whenever it goes wrong! Every other mayor globally is focussed on civic issues. Here, the mayor’s focus has been on her car’s red beacon, residence renovation and now a citizen’s religion in a video message that was asked for by the BMC itself!”National spokesperson for AIMIM Waris Pathan said, “The court has directed the BMC to re-upload Dia Mirza’s deleted video and also pulled up BJP leaders for their irrelevant criticism. The question remains: Why was Dia Mirza singled out when others made the same appeal? The issue was pollution and public health, not politics or someone’s surname.”BJP's Mumbai unit chief Ameet Satam on Monday linked appeals against the use of firecrackers during Diwali with the "tukde tukde gang", hours after the civic body removed actor Dia Mirza's video from its eco-friendly Diwali campaign following an objection raised by him.Satam alleged that anti-India forces were attempting to dictate how Hindus should celebrate the festival."Diwali has been celebrated for the last 5,000 years and will continue to be celebrated for thousands of years. We do not need to learn how to celebrate it from anyone. Members of the 'tukde tukde' gang and anti-India forces should not teach us how to celebrate Diwali," Satam said.Speaking to reporters, Satam alleged that certain elements in the country were joining hands with forces opposed to India and attempting to express sympathy towards those allegedly spreading anarchy.He also questioned the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration's decision to invite celebrities and make videos for its Diwali campaign, claiming the initiative was undertaken without consulting the BJP, which rules the civic body."Some celebrities had joined hands with anti-India forces and were attempting to sympathise with those spreading anarchy," he added.Mirza's video, in which she urged people to avoid noise and air pollution, was removed from the BMC's social media pages on Sunday. However, campaign videos featuring actors Madhuri Dixit and Nishigandha Wad, as well as cricketer Ajinkya Rahane, have been retained on the civic body's X and Instagram accounts.Earlier, hours after Satam raised the objection, the civic body, led by Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, removed Mirza's video from its social media pages, triggering a controversy.(With Agency Inputs)You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Mumbai | Silver Rate in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai | Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Petrol Price in Mumbai | Diesel Price in Mumbai | CNG Price in Mumbai | LPG Price in MumbaiStay updated with the latest Mumbai news. Download the TOI App.