BMC Yet to Restore Dia Mirza’s Diwali Campaign Video
Bombay High Court expressed displeasure over the clip’s removal and directed the civic body to re-upload it
- BMC has yet to re-upload Dia Mirza’s Diwali campaign video.
- Bombay High Court directed the civic body to restore the clip.
- BMC legal department is examining the court order.
- Court stresses secular values and the importance of environmental awareness.
GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 5th Nov: The BMC video controversy over actor Dia Mirza’s appeal for a firecracker-free Diwali continues, with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation yet to restore the clip despite a Bombay High Court direction to re-upload it.
The High Court had expressed “deep pain and displeasure” over the removal of Mirza’s video, which was part of the civic body’s environment-friendly Diwali campaign. The clip was taken down on Sunday night following objections from Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam and other political leaders.
On Tuesday, a bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale took suo motu cognisance of the controversy and directed the BMC to restore the video.
However, civic officials initially said they were awaiting the court order before taking further action. A senior BMC official said the civic body received the order late Wednesday evening and that its legal department would examine it before Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide takes a final decision.
The BMC has not yet issued an official statement on the matter.
The controversy also surfaced during a meeting of the BMC standing committee, where Congress group leader Ashraf Azmi questioned the removal of Mirza’s video. The issue triggered a verbal exchange between ruling and Opposition members.
The video was part of the BMC’s campaign encouraging citizens to avoid firecrackers and reduce air and noise pollution during Diwali. The campaign was launched following directions from the High Court.
During the hearing, the court criticised the objections raised against the actor’s participation, observing that the campaign focused on environmental awareness and should not have been given a religious or political interpretation.
The bench said the civic administration was entitled to select celebrities to promote public awareness and that no one could question its choice of an individual for such a campaign.
Emphasising the importance of secular values, the judges said every person deserved respect irrespective of religion, caste or community. They observed that Mumbai’s social fabric depended on togetherness and a shared sense of belonging.
The court also remarked that environmental concerns affected everyone, irrespective of religious identity, as all citizens breathed the same air.
Mirza, an environmentalist, was appointed the United Nations Environment Programme’s Goodwill Ambassador for India in 2017 and became an Advocate for the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2019. She has been associated with campaigns on climate change, wildlife protection and environmental conservation.
Meanwhile, videos featuring actors Madhuri Dixit and Nishigandha Wad, as well as cricketer Ajinkya Rahane, continued to remain available on the BMC’s social media platforms.
The High Court also clarified that its directions prohibiting firecrackers on public roads applied throughout the year and were not restricted to any particular festival.
