Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has yet to restore Dia Mirza’s video advocating for a firecracker-free Diwali
Mirza, who is also an environmentalist, was appointed the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Goodwill Ambassador for India in 2017. She was also named an Advocate for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in 2019. The actor-model, who won the Miss Asia Pacific International title in 2000, has been actively involved in campaigns related to environmental conservation, climate change, wildlife protection and plastic pollution.
The meeting witnessed a verbal spat between members of the ruling and Opposition parties over the issue. (With PTI 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 Mumbai Stay updated with the latest Mumbai news.
The civic body has said its legal department will examine the court order before municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide takes a final call on restoring the video. If the clip was taken off, then it would be ideal that the same should be re-uploaded,” the bench said. A city like Mumbai survives on togetherness and a strong feeling of belonging to society, and this ought not to be disturbed by any “loose comments”, it observed. The issue pertains to the environment and every person, irrespective of their religion and caste, is breathing the same air,” the court said.
MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is yet to restore actor Dia Mirza’s video urging citizens to avoid firecrackers during Diwali, despite the Bombay high court directing it to re-upload the clip after expressing strong displeasure over its removal amid a political controversy. The development comes a day after the HC took suo motu cognisance of the controversy surrounding Mirza’s video, which was part of the BMC’s campaign for an eco-friendly and firecracker-free Diwali. Since Tuesday evening, BMC officials had been telling media persons that they were awaiting the court order before deciding on re-uploading the clip. “There has to be a secular spirit, and the Constitution expects citizens to foster the same. We are a secular country. We are really hurt by this. The court also clarified that its directions prohibiting the bursting of firecrackers on public roads applied throughout the year and were not linked to any particular festival. Meanwhile, Congress group leader in the BMC Ashraf Azmi raised the issue of the removal of Mirza’s video from the civic body’s social media accounts during a standing committee meeting. Download the TOI App.
“We have not seen any politician or any person who made remarks yesterday put up videos spreading awareness.
The video was part of the BMC’s eco-friendly Diwali campaign, launched following the high court’s directions to prevent air and noise pollution caused by firecrackers.
A senior civic official, who did not wish to be named, told PTI that the BMC received the court order late Wednesday evening and that its legal department would study it. The following day, Mayor Ritu Tawde, a BJP corporator, defended the civic body’s decision and labelled Mirza “anti-Hindu”. Taking suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the controversy on Tuesday, a bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale expressed “deep pain and displeasure” over the removal of Mirza’s video and directed the BMC to re-upload it. The bench said it was anguished by the “petty mindset” of certain persons, particularly those who are representatives of the common citizen. It termed it “most unfortunate” that a video intended to spread awareness about the environment and air and noise pollution had been given a different colour. The court said the BMC commissioner was absolutely correct in selecting celebrities to spread awareness and that no person could question the civic body’s choice of a particular celebrity for the campaign.
However, the civic body, ruled by the BJP-Shiv Sena combine, has not issued any official statement on the matter. The municipal commissioner will take the final decision based on the department’s opinion. The civic body had appealed to citizens to avoid bursting crackers and celebrate an environment-friendly Diwali amid rising air pollution in Mumbai. As part of the campaign, the BMC had roped in several celebrities, including Mirza. campaign videos featuring actors Madhuri Dixit and Nishigandha Wad, as well as cricketer Ajinkya Rahane, continued to remain on the civic body’s X and Instagram accounts While her video urging people to avoid air and noise pollution was removed. It also cautioned those who had raised objections, saying there had to be respect for every person in the community, irrespective of religion, caste and creed.
The BMC had taken down Mirza’s video from its social media platforms on Sunday night following objections from Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam.