Pednekar asks if BMC is tied to BJP after Dia Mirza's anti-pollution Diwali video is removed

A new controversy has arisen in Mumbai over the municipal corporation's pollution-free Diwali campaign, which appealed to people to celebrate the festival with care for the environment. As part of it, actor Dia Mirza had given an awareness message in a video. The BJP is reported to have taken an aggressive stand against the video, after which it was removed from the corporation's social media account.

As the matter heated up, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Kishori Pednekar reacted sharply. She targeted Mumbai BJP president Amit Satam and Mayor Ritu Tawde. Pednekar said, "Branding a person a culprit because they hold a view different from ours has become the BJP's way."

Speaking to the media, Pednekar criticised the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. She said, "Once the corporation chose an artist for awareness, and that artist is making Mumbaikars aware of pollution free of charge, what is wrong with that? Announcing a decision and then backing off does not become the Mumbai municipal corporation. This is condemnable."

About Dia Mirza, Pednekar said, "Do you know who Dia Mirza is? She has won the country many awards. She was born in Hyderabad. She speaks on environmental issues there too."

About Mayor Ritu Tawde, Pednekar said, "The mayor does not even know about this whole matter. She is being insulted repeatedly. I will not respond to such a childish mayor. She should first understand how the corporation works."

About Amit Satam, Pednekar said, "Who is Amit Satam? He is a member of the Assembly and presumably a BJP office-bearer. But the mayor sits here, does she not? So the corporation's work should run through the mayor. Does the corporation not have its own law and existence? Is the Mumbai municipal corporation tied to the BJP's post? Mumbaikars should understand that Mumbai is being insulted and the corporation is going on the back foot every time."

The background is this. Given rising air pollution in Mumbai, the corporation had launched a special awareness campaign during Diwali, and actor Dia Mirza was part of it. In her video she appealed to Mumbaikars to avoid the noise and air pollution caused by firecrackers. Her message was that while celebrating Diwali, people should look after the environment and their health.

Amit Satam objected to the video, after which the corporation deleted it. This set off discussion in political circles. Satam said, "Dia Mirza should not teach us how to celebrate Diwali. Diwali is our tradition, it is rooted in our very core. Nobody should come to teach us this."

After the video was taken down, Dia Mirza reacted, "The age of goodness is gone. I had taken no money for this campaign."

The matter is thus no longer limited to environmental awareness. It has become a subject of political debate over how the Mumbai municipal corporation takes its decisions.