Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde on Monday defended the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s decision to take down a video featuring actor Dia Mirza on celebrating pollution-free Diwali.
“Regarding how Hindus should celebrate Diwali—we certainly do not need Dia Mirza to teach us. We know how to celebrate our own Diwali.
Hitting out at the actor, Tawde said Hindus are well aware of how to celebrate Diwali and don’t need Mirza to “teach them”. You should focus on your selective agenda,” Tawde said.
She also accused the actor of opposing the government’s efforts to address the environmental crisis. “She has even opposed statements made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “She had trolled PM Modi on the NEET exam issue She has always been anti-Hindu. “The full picture is clear: you are against Hindutva. She has always taken an anti-Hindu and anti-government stand. That is the reason for opposing her, not her religion. She can post whatever she wants on her personal handle but will not be allowed to do so on BMC handle.
Consistently, her opposition appears to be directed against Hindutva,” Tawde said. Mirza’s video was removed within hours of Satam’s comment, even as campaign videos featuring actors Madhuri Dixit, Nishigandha Wad and others were retained, according to news agency PTI . Backing the BMC’s decision to remove Mirza’s clip, Mumbai mayor Ritu Tawde said she has always “sided with divisive forces”, news agency PTI quoted her as saying. We have blacklisted her,” she said, according to PTI. That is why we have strongly opposed her video; we do not need her to instruct us, as Hindus, on how to celebrate Diwali,” she said. Amid the ongoing political controversy over the video takedown, Mirza spoke to HT and said that the video was recorded as part of the Bombay High Court’s recent appeal to celebrities to support Maharashtra’s anti-firecracker campaign. She also said that the video was recorded in the interest of public awareness and was aimed at encouraging a healthier and more mindful celebration. We believe in secularism,” Tawde said. We will make sure she is blacklisted in our Mahayuti government,” Tawde said.
Earlier reporting noted: ‘Took Anti-Government Stand’: Mumbai Civic Body Mayor On Dia Mirza Video Row ‘Took Anti-Government Stand’: Mumbai Civic Body Mayor On Dia Mirza Video Row ‘Took Anti-Government Stand’: Mumbai Civic Body Mayor On Dia Mirza Video Row Earlier reporting noted: “It is not to do with any religion. Earlier reporting noted: “Dia Mirza does selective propaganda, we have seen in the past.
Meanwhile, Opposition leaders criticised the BMC for taking down Mirza’s clip.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson and former mayor Kishori Pednekar said that the civic administration had “become a slave of the BJP or its Mumbai president”, according to PTI.
