Mumbai: Actress Soni Razdan has expressed strong displeasure over the use of firecrackers during Diwali. She said that given the current dire situation of air pollution, bursting even a single firecracker on Diwali is unacceptable.
Alia Bhatt’s mother and veteran actress Soni Razdan shared a post on social media expressing concern about the effects of air pollution on children’s health. She said that young children are facing health problems due to pollution and sometimes have to take leave from school due to illness.
In her post, Soni Razdan wrote, “Parents of young children can tell you how much their children are suffering due to air pollution. How many school days they have to miss due to illness. In such circumstances, if someone tells me that bursting even a single firecracker this Diwali is perfectly fine, I can only say that in my view, doing so is anti-life, anti-health, and yes… anti-national.”
She further added, “Health is a choice we make for ourselves and our children. Let’s make the right choice.”
Controversy already rages over Dia Mirza’s video
Soni Razdan’s statement comes amid the ongoing controversy surrounding actress Dia Mirza and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Diwali pollution awareness campaign.
In fact, Dia Mirza recently appealed to the people of Mumbai through a video to celebrate an environmentally friendly Diwali and avoid bursting firecrackers. However, the video was later removed from the BMC’s official social media accounts, after which the matter escalated into a political controversy.
The BMC had engaged several prominent personalities, including Madhuri Dixit, Nishigandha Wad, and cricketer Ajinkya Rahane, in addition to Dia Mirza, to raise awareness about air and noise pollution during Diwali.
This initiative was launched in light of the Bombay High Court’s directives regarding bursting firecrackers in public places and the need to raise awareness about pollution.
Mumbai BJP chief objected to Dia Mirza’s campaign
In her video, Dia Mirza appealed to Mumbaikars to be vigilant about the environmental and health impacts of bursting firecrackers.
However, Mumbai BJP chief Amit Satam objected to her message. He wrote on the social media platform X, “We don’t need to learn from Dia Mirza how to celebrate Diwali. Our traditions are deeply ingrained in our culture.”
Following Amit Satam’s objection, the BMC removed Dia Mirza’s video from its social media platforms.
The controversy escalated further when Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde also criticized Dia Mirza, accusing her of taking an anti-Hindu and anti-government stance.