Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar on Tuesday, welcomed the Bombay High Court's order in the controversy surrounding actor Dia Mirza's pollution-free Diwali campaign video, calling the court's decision much needed.
Pawar also criticised Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam for objecting to the video and accused him of twisting the issue for political purposes.
The remarks came after the High Court expressed displeasure over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) decision to remove Mirza's video from its official social media platforms.
'Bombay High Court Has Issued A Very Sound Order': Rohit Pawar
Speaking to reporters, Pawar welcomed the court's intervention and questioned Satam's objections to the actor's environmental awareness message.
“The Bombay High Court has issued a very sound order. The Bombay High Court has stated that the video featuring Dia Mirza—which the BMC had deleted—should be uploaded. Our objection is directed at Ameet Satam; it was he who raised an objection to Dia Mirza's statement,” Pawar said.
The NCP (SP) leader argued that Mirza's message was similar to those delivered by other celebrities participating in the civic body's awareness campaign.
“If you examine the statements—made by Dia Mirza, Madhuri Dixit, and a cricketer—you will see they are essentially the same, with one version in Marathi and another in Hindi,” he added.
Rohit Pawar Accuses Ameet Satam Of Politicising Environmental Campaign
Questioning the controversy, Pawar said the campaign was intended to spread awareness about environmental protection. “What could possibly be wrong with that?” he asked.
He also referred to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's response to the controversy, saying the CM had described it as a matter concerning the municipal corporation.
Bombay High Court Criticises BMC Over Dia Mirza Video Removal
Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday expressed displeasure over the BMC's decision to remove Mirza's video following objections from political leaders.
A division bench of Justices Girish S Kulkarni and Neela K Gokhale questioned the controversy surrounding a campaign aimed at spreading awareness about noise and air pollution.
The court observed that the civic body's awareness initiative served a public purpose and should not have been drawn into political disagreements.
The High Court asked the BMC to restore Mirza's deleted video and cautioned against similar reactions in the future.
The controversy began after the BMC removed a video featuring Mirza from its official social media platforms. The video was part of a campaign encouraging Mumbai residents to celebrate Diwali responsibly and follow the High Court's directions concerning firecrackers.
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