PoliticsCourts
Restore Dia Mirza's anti-cracker video, Bombay High Court tells BMC; raps leaders for 'petty-mindedness'
The civic body had taken down the actor's Diwali message after objections from BJP leaders. The judges said the clip was made on the court's own directions and called the takedown a knee-jerk reaction.
Key points
- The Bombay High Court asked the BMC to put Dia Mirza's video back online.
- The bench called the takedown a knee-jerk reaction and criticised political remarks against the actor.
- Police and pollution boards must enforce the green-cracker time windows.
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to put Dia Mirza’s anti-firecracker video back online, and sharply criticised the political leaders whose objections got it taken down.
A bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale was hearing the case it began on its own on noise and air pollution during festivals. The actor’s message, asking people not to burst crackers on public roads at Diwali, was recorded for the civic body’s awareness drive after the court’s orders of 15 October, which had suggested bringing in celebrities to spread the word. The BMC removed it from its social media handles after Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam objected.
“What has been done should not have been done. Restore it and restore the confidence of the people,” the bench said, calling the takedown a knee-jerk reaction. The judges noted that the municipal commissioner had only acted in line with the court’s directions.
They also expressed great displeasure at attempts to give the court’s pollution orders a political colour, and reminded those involved that India is a secular country. “Our paramount concern is the environment. When we say ‘we’, we mean ‘we the people’, concerned citizens of all castes, creeds and religion,” the bench said. When someone shows concern for society, it added, “you reprimand that person with petty-mindedness”. The balance, it said, “ought not to be disturbed by any loose comments”.
The row had grown after Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde criticised the appeal, saying Hindus did not need lessons on how to celebrate Diwali and suggesting the actor’s stand was aimed at Hindutva. Mirza said on Monday that she recorded the clip on the High Court’s directions. “Air pollution is a matter of public health,” she said.
The court also told the police and pollution control boards in Maharashtra to enforce the Supreme Court’s green-cracker rules, which allow bursting only in set time windows.