Following objections from the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has deleted a video from its social media handles featuring actor Dia Mirza urging citizens not to burst firecrackers during the Hindu festival of Diwali, reported PTI on Monday.
In the video, Mirza, who is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme, had urged the residents of Mumbai to limit air and noise pollution during the festive season.
On Sunday, the BJP’s Mumbai unit chief Ameet Satam said on social media: “We don’t need lessons on how to celebrate Diwali from Dia Mirza.”
Tagging the actor and the BMC in his post, Satam said: “Our traditions are deeply rooted in our culture.”
Hours later, the BMC took down the video. The municipal corporation did not clarify the reason behind deleting the clip, even as videos featuring other actor Madhuri Dixit and cricketer Ajinkya Rahane remain available on its social media handles.
On October 15, amid rising air pollution in the city, the Bombay High Court directed the municipal corporation, the Maharashtra government and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to launch awareness campaigns against bursting firecrackers during festivals and enlist celebrities for the purpose, Bar and Bench reported.
The High Court had said that its September 22 order banning firecrackers on public…
