‘India is a secular country’: Bombay High Court orders BMC to restore Dia Mirza’s video on eco-friendly Diwali

‘India is a secular country’ the Bombay High Court cited on Tuesday as it ordered the Mumbai civic body, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, to re-upload a deleted video of Dia Mirza appealing for an eco-friendly and firecracker-free Diwali.

The awareness video was produced by BMC and featured the 44-year-old actress appealing to the people of Mumbai to burst firecrackers on public roads and opt for an eco-friendly Diwali.

‘A festival is for everyone to celebrate’

On Tuesday, a division bench of Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Dr Neela Gokhale said it was “disturbed by the stray comments made by some politicians” and reminded them that “India is a secular country.”

“A festival is for everyone to celebrate... No individual can be isolated from celebrating any festival in this country...how can you object to someone's participation just because that person is from some other religion? Aren't we a secular country,” the Bench said orally.

The bench also cautioned those who had objected to the clip, stressing that every individual deserved respect, regardless of religion, caste or creed.

"There has to be a secular spirit, and the Constitution expects citizens to foster the same. If the clip was taken off, then it would be ideal that the same should be re-uploaded," the court said.

"We have not seen any politician or any person who made remarks yesterday put up videos spreading awareness. We are a secular country. We are really hurt by this. The issue pertains to the environment and every person, irrespective of their religion and caste, is breathing the same air," the High Court said.

What’s the controversy?

In an awareness video for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the 44-year-old actor had appealed to the public, citing a High Court order, not to burst firecrackers on public roads.

BJP Mumbai chief Ameet Satam had criticised the video and posted on X, "We don't need lessons on how to celebrate #Diwali from @deespeak. Our traditions are deeply rooted in our culture."

Following the comment, the civic body removed the video featuring Dia Mirza.

Interestingly, similar awareness videos featuring celebrities like Madhuri Dixit and Nishigandha Wad, and cricketer Ajinkya Rahane, were retained on the BMC's X and Instagram pages.

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde had also backed the deletion of the video and accused the actor of being opposed to Hindutva.

"We do not need Dia Mirza to teach how Hindus should celebrate Diwali. We know how to celebrate our Diwali. You (Mirza) are pursuing your own agenda, a selective agenda, and your overall stance is becoming very clear. It shows that you are against Hindutva. That is why we have strongly opposed the video," Tawde said, according to PTI.

"If we look at Dia Mirza's entire profile, we can see that she has opposed the Narmada project and the Uniform Civil Code. She has also spoken against environmental issues that we were working on and opposed statements made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We have consistently seen her opposition directed against Hindutva and those who work for it," the mayor had further claimed.