Calling the objections to Dia Mirza participation in an anti-pollution campaign “really unfortunate”, the Bombay High Court said environmental concerns should not be given a communal angle.
BY PC Bureau
Mumbai/ November 3: The Bombay High Court has criticised politicians for targeting actor Dia Mirza over a video urging people not to burst firecrackers on public streets during Diwali. Calling India a secular country, the court said no one should be denied the right to participate in a festival or an environmental awareness campaign because of their religion.
A Division Bench of Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Dr Neela Gokhale said it was “disturbed by the stray comments made by some politicians” against Mirza.
“A festival is for everyone to celebrate… No individual can be isolated from celebrating any festival in this country… how can you object to someone’s participation just because that person is from some other religion? Aren’t we a secular country?” the Bench observed orally.
The video was produced at the request of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to promote awareness of the court’s directions against bursting firecrackers on public streets. The civic body subsequently removed it from its social media accounts following objections from BJP leaders, who labelled Mirza “anti-Hindu”.
Justice Kulkarni said Dia Mirza had delivered a “really good message” on air pollution in accordance with the court’s directions. He described the objections to her participation as “really unfortunate” and said the remarks appeared to disregard the court’s earlier order permitting everyone to participate in the awareness campaign.
The Bench also referred to the Supreme Court’s observation that Diwali is celebrated by people across religions and communities. It questioned why Mirza participation in an environmental campaign had become a religious issue.
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This is what actor Dia Mirza had said in her public appeal against fire crackers which was posted on the @mybmc website & later deleted after the BJP raised objection to it. https://t.co/fqRU3qWmSE
— Richa Pinto (@richapintoi) November 2, 2026
“She acted as per the directions of the court,” the Bench said, adding that the approach of some corporators and politicians was inappropriate. They should not give the issue “any other angle”, it said.
Justice Gokhale underlined that the campaign concerned public health and the environment, not religion.
“Everyone is breathing the same air, be it anyone,” she observed. She added that restrictions on bursting firecrackers did not take away anyone’s right to celebrate Diwali.
The court directed the BMC to re-upload Mirza’s video and restore public confidence. It cautioned the civic body against taking a “knee-jerk reaction” to objections raised by a few individuals.
“When we are speaking about health and pollution and environment… There is no room for factionalism,” the Bench said.
The judges said the matter should end “on a happy note and in a sense of belongingness”. They particularly stressed the importance of social cohesion in Mumbai, which, they said, “survives on togetherness and strong feeling of belongingness”.
“This balance ought not to be disturbed by any loose comment,” the Bench said.
