Bombay High Court Orders BMC to Restore Dia Mirza’s Diwali Video

The Bombay High Court said it was “deeply pained” and directed Mumbai’s civic body to put actor Dia Mirza’s Diwali video back online. The clip urged people to avoid firecrackers because of air and noise pollution. The judges said it was “most unfortunate” that an environmental message had been given a communal colour. Their order turned a removed social-media post into a test of how public bodies respond to political pressure. ^3,5

That video was one part of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s campaign for a cleaner Diwali, created after the court called for public awareness about pollution from firecrackers. The BMC had invited Mirza and other public figures to record appeals; videos featuring Madhuri Dixit, Nishigandha Wad and cricketer Ajinkya Rahane stayed online. After BJP Mumbai chief Ameet Satam objected to Mirza’s inclusion, the BMC took down her clip. Mayor Ritu Tawde also called Mirza “anti-Hindu.” The court said the BMC commissioner had been right to choose celebrities for the campaign. ^7,8

The clips left online sharpened questions about why Mirza’s message was singled out. Satam said people did not need lessons on celebrating Diwali, while Tawde linked her criticism to Mirza’s past views. The court warned against comments that could weaken Mumbai’s sense of togetherness, saying everyone breathes the same air regardless of religion or caste. Its rebuke was about more than one actor: it challenged the idea that a public-health appeal should be judged through a religious or political lens. ^5,9

That rebuke leaves the BMC with a clear next step: restore the deleted video, as the court directed. Mirza had made the appeal for the civic campaign and, according to reports, did so without charging a fee. The other celebrity clips remain available, but the court’s order makes clear that Mirza’s message should return too. The video’s focus remains pollution and public health, not how anyone should observe Diwali. ^6,10