On Monday actor Dia Mirza’s appearance in a video urging everyone to celebrate an eco-friendly Diwali was struck down by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), who Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde defended, in her own words.
Tawde criticized the actor, saying this is a prerequisite and the actor didn’t have to teach Hinduism to the people as they celebrate their festival. As far as the way the Diwali should be celebrated by the Hindus are concerned, we do not need Dia Mirza to teach us. There is a way there of celebrating our own Diwali and that’s where you should focus, she added.
Tawde also slammed the actor for standing against the government’s measures towards environmental concerns. Thus she alleged that Mirza was earlier raising objections against the statements of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that her objections always were directed to Hindutva.
BJP Leader Objects to Campaign Video
The mayor’s comments followed hours since the BMC pulled the video from its social media channels. In the video, Mirza was urging people to stay away from noise and air pollution during the festival of Diwali.
The incident happened after BJP Mumbai chief Ameet Satam objected to the civic body that the actor be included in their campaign.
While all you need to do is say “happy Diwali” in devanagari, don’t need lessons on how to celebrate it from @deespeak. Our traditions are highly embedded in our culture,” Satam wrote on X.
Other Celebrity Videos Remain Online
Shortly after Satam posted his video, it was removed from the website by Mirza. But Modhuri Dixit, Nishigandha Wad and some others will have been acting in campaign videos which continue to be displayed on BMC’s social media.
The removal has sparked a political row about how the civic body’s environmental awareness drive and who it has invited for appearances in it are run.