Nagpur: Cabinet minister Nitesh Rane on Wednesday questioned actor Dia Mirza ’s appeal against the use of firecrackers during Diwali , saying she had not raised similar concerns about goats during Bakri Eid.
BMC removed the video after Mumbai BJP president Satam objected in a post on X on Nov 1 to the actor advising people on how to celebrate Diwali.
Rane said, “We never saw Mirza tweeting like this at the time of Eid, Ramzan or Muharram. Explaining reasons behind his objection, he said, “If Mirza showed as much care during Eid, Muharram and Bakri Eid as she does for Hindu festivals and the environment, we would understand what equal respect for all religions means,” said Rane. On the campaign’s content, Rane said, “If all the advice is about the festivals of Hindu religion, then I have an objection to it. Rane said Pawar took such stands only on Hindu festivals. “Why Pawar saw no irregularity in donations to a mosque in West Bengal?” he said. On removal of Mirza’s video, Rane said responsible officials in BMC would comply with the court order. Mumbai mayor Ritu Tawde then said Mirza would be kept out of future BMC programmes. Mirza has said the video was meant to spread public awareness and encourage healthier celebrations.
Rane, who was in Nagpur, was reacting to the controversy surrounding Mirza’s video, which the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) removed from its social media accounts after objections from BJP . We never saw her appealing, ‘Do not slaughter goats as it troubles animals’. He also targeted NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar , who welcomed the Bombay High Court’s direction to BMC to restore the video.