Bombay High Court orders civic body to restore Dia Mirza's Diwali pollution video

The Bombay High Court has ordered the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to put actor Dia Mirza's Diwali video back on its social media pages. The civic body had previously taken down the clip after receiving complaints from political leaders.

Court Remarks

Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Dr Neela Gokhale heard the matter and shared their anger over the remarks made against the actor. The judges stated that India is a secular nation and noted they were upset by the careless comments from politicians. The bench pointed out that Mirza recorded the message at the civic body's own request as part of a public awareness push tied to earlier court orders on cutting down air and noise pollution during the festival. While other famous personalities also filmed similar clips for the campaign, only Mirza's video was pulled down following pressure.

Environmental Focus

During the court session, the judges questioned why anyone would object to a person taking part in an awareness drive just because of their religious background. Justice Gokhale reminded everyone that poor air quality affects all citizens equally since every person breathes the same air, and noted that limiting firecrackers does not stop anyone from celebrating. The bench added that the Supreme Court has previously observed how Diwali is celebrated across different communities, and warned that environmental safety must not be turned into a communal fight.

Context

Courts in India regularly step in to regulate the use of firecrackers ahead of major festivals like Diwali to tackle severe seasonal air pollution and protect public health. Public awareness campaigns involving well-known figures are a common tool used by local authorities to urge citizens to adopt safer celebration habits. Freedom of expression and equal participation of all citizens regardless of faith are core principles protected under the Indian Constitution.