Inside The Political Firestorm Over Dia Mirza’s Clean Diwali Appeal

A civic initiative for a noise-free Diwali sparked political friction in Maharashtra after BJP leaders challenged the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) over its campaign video starring actor Dia Mirza. The row began after the BMC launched an eco-friendly Diwali campaign urging citizens to limit firecrackers to combat pollution. Mirza contributed a video calling on Mumbaikars to celebrate responsibly. Though other celebrities too were part of the campaign, she was singled out immediately. Backlash ensued.

In her video, she exhorted, "The noise pollution and air pollution caused by fire crackers is harmful for all of us. I appeal to you all to celebrate this Diwali with joy, not with noise. My hearty wishes to you all for a very happy Diwali!" The BMC uploaded the videos on November 1.

Dia Mirza Faces A Slew Of Attacks From BJP Authorities

Reacting to the video, BJP Mumbai president Ameet Satam tagged the BMC and slammed, "We don't need lessons on how to celebrate #Diwali from @deespeak. Our traditions are deeply rooted in our culture.". This led to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) retracting Mirza’s eco-friendly Diwali campaign from all social media platforms within hours of his objections.

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde vehemently attacked Mirza for "always having taken an anti-Hindu and anti-government stand", stating it as the reason to oppose her. Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane also stressed it was wrong for the civic body to promote people like Mirza. "Dia Mirza has tweeted about Diwali, but she never tweets or offers such advice during Eid, Muharram or Bakri Eid. They only talk about an environment-friendly Holi or Diwali. They should also speak about an environment-friendly Ramzan and Bakri Eid. People like her are against the Sanatan Hindu religion. I will discuss this issue with the Chief Minister that such things are prevented in the future," he said.

As reported by NDTV, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale also hit out at the actress, "Dia Mirza is a film actress and belongs to the Muslim community, but this is not a matter of any particular community. The Constitution grants every religion the right to celebrate its festivals. Just as Hindus respect and participate in Eid, Hindu community celebrates Diwali. If firecrackers are not burst, Diwali may lose some of its significance, though we must also be concerned about excessive pollution."

While Mirza's clip was removed, campaign videos featuring actors Madhuri Dixit and Nishigandha Wad, as well as cricketer Ajinkya Rahane, still remain on the BMC's X and Instagram pages. This selective hostility towards Mirza builds on a long history of friction. Right-wing figures previously attacked Mirza's 2016 Holi water-conservation appeal as an assault on Hindu customs, harassed her for on-the-ground activism against the BJP-led Aarey tree-felling project in 2019, and routinely label her part of a "selective elite" whenever she speaks on civic issues like student protests or NEET exams.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Shaina NC snidely remarked that Dia Mirza, a name translating to "light", ought to recognize Diwali as the festival of lights, while acknowledging the widespread consensus on curbing firecracker pollution. Meanwhile, Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad denounced the BMC for acceding to political pressure from the BJP by taking down the clip. She called for the immediate removal of Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide. She insisted that the BMC should promptly reinstate Mirza’s video and dish out a public apology to the actor.

Bombay HC Defends Dia Mirza's Diwali Campaign, Flags India's Secular Character

On November 3, the Bombay High Court called out the BJP leaders for targeting actor Dia Mirza over her public service message. A Division Bench comprising Justices Girish Kulkarni and Dr. Neela Gokhale shared deep disturbance over the politicians' "stray comments," underlining that India is a secular nation where public health campaigns should not be weaponized for religious politics. The judges noted that Mirza had participated in full accordance with prior court orders, delivering a message strictly focused on air quality and public safety. The bench urged the BMC that it'd be “ideal” to restore the deleted clip on the social media pages.

The High Court categorically stated, “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."

Mirza has defended the campaign, pointing out that the video was made at the very behest of the BMC itself under its aegis, to buttress the court's appeal against the bursting of firecrackers in public places. Civic officials also stated that this campaign was a pro bono initiative and the BMC didn’t have to pay the celebrities for the campaign. Mirza has confirmed on her social media she didn't charge a fee.

Soni Razdan Advocates Dia Mirza's Diwali Plea

Amidst the orchestrated furore, Soni Razdan backed Mirza and urged parents to consider the health risks associated with firecrackers. Razdan took to her social media page, “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."

She added, “Health is a choice we make for ourselves and our children. Let us make the right one.”

Dia Mirza was last seen in Netflix's courtroom drama Ikka, alongside Sunny Deol and Akshaye Khanna.