Soni Razdan calls bursting even one Diwali cracker 'anti-national' amid Dia Mirza-BMC row

Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Dia Mirza’s deleted pollution-awareness video, actor Soni Razdan weighed in on the debate over firecracker-free Diwali celebrations. She took to her social media to share a strongly worded post on Tuesday night and highlighted the impact of air pollution on children's health.

Soni Razdan on firecracker-free Diwali

Making her point clear, the actress wrote, "Any parent of a young child will tell you how much their children are suffering because of air pollution. How many school days they miss because of illness. So if you tell me that, in such circumstances, it is perfectly alright to burst even one cracker this Diwali, I can only say that it seems to me to be anti-life, anti-health and yes... anti-national."

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Razdan further added, "Health is a choice we make for ourselves and our children. Let us make the right one."

She has also disabled the comments section on her Instagram post.

About Dia Mirza controversy

Razdan's remarks come amid the ongoing dispute involving the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and actor Dia Mirza. The civic body had released a series of awareness videos ahead of Diwali, encouraging people to celebrate the festival while being mindful of air and noise pollution.

However, Dia's video was removed from the BMC's social media platforms after objections from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

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Afterward, Dia issued a statement explaining the intention behind her participation in the campaign. “Diwali celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. The video was recorded in the interest of public awareness, with the intention of encouraging a healthier and more mindful celebration. Air pollution is a matter of public health, and every effort towards reducing it is a step towards a better environment for all,” she said.

The controversy subsequently reached the Bombay High Court, which expressed its displeasure over the removal of the video. The court stressed that environmental awareness should not be viewed through religious or political differences.

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During the hearing, the bench observed, “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 court also backed the civic commissioner's decision to select celebrities for the awareness campaign, saying, “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.”