The Bombay High Court has directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to restore actor Dia Mirza's Diwali awareness video after it was removed following objections from political leaders. Expressing displeasure over the controversy, the court reminded everyone that India is a secular country and environmental awareness should not be given a communal colour.
Dia Mirza had featured in a BMC campaign urging citizens to avoid bursting firecrackers on public streets and celebrate Diwali in an environmentally responsible manner. The video was recorded following the High Court's directions to create awareness about air and noise pollution. However, Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam objected to her inclusion in the campaign, following which the civic body removed the video from its social media platforms. Other celebrity videos in the campaign remained available.
A division bench comprising Justices Girish Kulkarni and Dr Neela Gokhale questioned the objections raised against Mirza on religious grounds. "How can you object to someone's participation just because that person is from some other religion? Aren't we a secular country?" the bench observed.
The judges also pointed out that everyone breathes the same air, irrespective of religion or caste, and that the issue should remain focused on public health and environmental protection. The court subsequently directed the BMC to re-upload the video, stating, "Please put it again and restore the confidence of the people in the Constitution." It also criticised the knee-jerk reaction to political objections and stressed that there was no room for factionalism when discussing environmental concerns.
The development has brought the controversy surrounding Dia Mirza's participation in the civic body's anti-pollution campaign into focus, with the High Court making it clear that environmental awareness should not be divided along religious lines.
Disclaimer: The news article is written based on information shared by various sources. The organisation is not responsible for the factual nature of them. While we do try to do thorough research at times people could misguide. So, we would encourage viewers' discretion before reacting to them.
