Bombay HC Pulls Up BMC Over Removal Of Dia Mirza’s Eco-Diwali Video; Asks Civic Body To Restore Campaign
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai, November 3, 2026: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday expressed displeasure over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) removing a pollution-free Diwali campaign video featuring actor Dia Mirza following objections from Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde and BJP chief Ameet Satam, saying the incident was “unfortunate” and a “knee-jerk reaction” that undermined the purpose of the campaign and highlighted a “petty mindset”.
The court suggested that the civic body re-upload the video to “restore confidence of people in society and the Constitution”, observing that environmental protection was a collective responsibility that should not be given a political or religious colour.
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High Court Criticises Removal Of Video
A bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale was hearing a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) on rising air and noise pollution during festivals and related petitions. The judges said they were “deeply pained” by the incident, particularly because the campaign was undertaken in compliance with the court’s directions.
“What has been done should not have been done. Please put it again and restore confidence of people in society and the Constitution. These are stray thoughts of one or two persons. We cannot appreciate this,” the bench orally remarked.
The court said there was no reason to object to any individual, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, participating in a campaign for public health and environmental protection.
“When someone comes forward showing concern for society and devoting their time, you reprimand that person with petty-mindset,” the judges observed, adding that the city survived on a sense of “togetherness” and that “the balance ought not to be disturbed by any loose comments”.
Environmental Protection Beyond Politics
The bench clarified that its directions on controlling air and noise pollution were not linked to any particular festival or community and applied throughout the year.
“Our orders are applicable throughout the year. Our paramount concern is the environment. When we say ‘we’, we mean ‘we the people’ — concerned citizens of all castes, creeds and religion,” the court said.
The judges also said there was no scope for a “knee-jerk reaction of a few people at the cost of society at large” and asked the civic administration to consider restoring the videos removed from its official social media platforms.
Objections Triggered BMC Action
The controversy arose after the BMC took down the video featuring Mirza following objections raised by Tawde and Satam over her inclusion in the campaign. The civic body had also roped in cricketer Ajinkya Rahane and actor Madhuri Dixit as part of its pollution-awareness drive.
Court Had Earlier Directed Celebrity Campaigns
On October 26, the High Court had asked the BMC to involve celebrities in campaigns to discourage the use of firecrackers and create awareness about the harmful effects of air pollution. The directions were issued as part of a series of measures to curb air and noise pollution during festivals.
The court reiterated that restrictions on firecrackers were intended to protect public health, particularly that of children and senior citizens, from worsening air quality. It also stressed the need for police and pollution control authorities to enforce the Supreme Court’s nationwide guidelines on bursting green crackers only during permitted hours.
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'Cleaning The Mess & Dirt You Created': Ameet Satam Slams Aaditya Thackeray Amid Row Over Dia Mirza's Pollution-Free Diwali Video RemovalThe bench said the intention behind the campaign was to create public awareness and that attempts to politicise the court’s directions should not be allowed to defeat that purpose.
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