The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to restore a public awareness video featuring actor Dia Mirza on its social media handles. The video had been removed following objections raised by certain Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders who labelled the actor as anti-Hindu. A Division Bench comprising Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Dr Neela Gokhale expressed strong disapproval of the politicians' conduct, stating that the matter pertained solely to environmental protection and must not be given a communal colour.
The controversy originated from a video created by Mirza at the specific request of the BMC. The civic body had sought her participation to raise public awareness regarding the court's earlier directions prohibiting the bursting of firecrackers on public streets. After the video was uploaded on the BMC's official social media platforms, certain BJP corporators and leaders objected to Mirza's involvement, alleging that her appeal hurt religious sentiments and branding her stance as anti-Hindu. Succumbing to this pressure, the BMC subsequently deleted the video from its handles.
During the hearing, the Bench observed that it was disturbed by the stray comments made by the politicians. Justice Kulkarni remarked that the remarks had been made without taking note of the court's earlier order which permitted everyone to participate in the awareness initiative. The judge clarified that the actor had acted strictly in accordance with the directions of the court. The Bench further held that the approach adopted by certain corporators and politicians was not correct and cautioned them against giving the issue any other angle.
Justice Gokhale emphasised that the matter was purely an environment issue. The judges observed that everyone breathes the same air, irrespective of their identity, and that the issue should not be coloured by political or religious narratives. The Court's direction to restore the video underscores the principle that compliance with judicial orders on environmental safeguards cannot be held hostage to political objections.
Why did the Bombay High Court order the BMC to restore Dia Mirza's video?
The Court ordered the restoration because the video was made at the BMC's request to comply with judicial directions on banning firecrackers on public streets. The Bench held that the actor acted as per court orders and that political objections labelling her 'anti-Hindu' were irrelevant to the environmental issue.
The judgment serves as a significant reminder of the secular fabric of the Constitution. By explicitly stating that India is a secular country, the High Court reinforced the obligation of public authorities and elected representatives to uphold constitutional values over sectarian interests. The Court's intervention ensures that a public health and environmental campaign, mandated by the judiciary, is not derailed by political pressure rooted in communal allegations.
The BMC has been directed to reinstate the video on its social media platforms immediately. The ruling effectively nullifies the censorship imposed by the civic body under political duress and reaffirms that adherence to court orders on environmental matters is mandatory and non-negotiable, regardless of the identity of the messenger or the political affiliations of the critics.
Key Observations and Directions
Aspect | Court's Observation |
|---|---|
Nature of Issue | Purely an environmental issue; cannot be given any other colour. |
Secular Principle | India is a secular country; politicians must not give communal angle. |
Actor's Role | Dia Mirza acted as per court directions at BMC's request. |
Politicians' Conduct | Stray comments made without noting court order; approach incorrect. |
Operative Order | BMC directed to restore deleted video on social media handles. |
The Division Bench's firm stance protects the integrity of judicial directions concerning public health. It establishes that executive compliance with court mandates cannot be selectively withdrawn based on the religious or political identity of the individuals enlisted to propagate the message. The order reinforces the accountability of municipal bodies to resist extraneous pressures when implementing court-ordered environmental regulations.