The Bombay High Court ordered the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to restore a pollution-awareness video featuring actor Dia Mirza after members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party criticized the festive campaign as anti-Hindu. Delivering its judgment in Mumbai, the judiciary expressed deep pain and disturbance over the politicization of the public health initiative, firmly reminding political figures that India operates as a secular country.
Why did the civic body remove the Diwali campaign?
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation pulled down the digital awareness clip following heavy objections and pressure from Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. Critics from the ruling party labeled the festive message featuring Dia Mirza as anti-Hindu and accused the actor of consistently targeting traditional celebrations. Mumbai's mayor and other political figures aligned with the right-wing party claimed the campaign undermined cultural practices by discouraging the burning of firecrackers during the festive season.
India is a secular country, and matters concerning public health and environmental protection must be addressed without communalizing the discourse.
How did the judiciary respond to the political controversy?
The Bombay High Court strongly rebuked the politicians involved in the dispute, declaring that the judiciary was deeply pained by the suppression of an important civic message. Emphasizing the constitutional framework of India, the judges ruled that environmental campaigns cannot be censored simply because political factions choose to interpret public safety advisories through a religious lens. The bench directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to immediately repost the deleted footage across its official digital platforms.
What was the broader public and political reaction?
The judicial intervention drew widespread backing from opposition figures, including the Mumbai Congress chief, who accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of deliberately politicizing environmental issues for electoral gains. Dia Mirza herself maintained that the campaign was strictly a matter of public health aimed at curbing severe pollution levels in the metropolis rather than an attack on any faith. Legal experts and civil society groups welcomed the court directive as a crucial defense of free expression and scientific reason against political censorship.
