Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday dismissed as a “small issue” the controversy over the BMC deleting actor Dia Mirza’s anti-firecracker video, saying it was not a matter at his level and that the Bombay High Court had not reprimanded the civic body.
Mirza’s video for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) eco-friendly Diwali campaign sparked a political row on Monday, after the civic body selectively removed her clip from social media following Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam’s objection and Mayor Ritu Tawde’s comments labelling her as “anti-Hindu”.
While Mirza’s clip urging people to avoid noise and air pollution was removed, campaign videos featuring actors Madhuri Dixit and Nishigandha Wad, as well as cricketer Ajinkya Rahane, were on the BMC’s X and Instagram pages.
Taking suo motu (on its own) note of the issue, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday expressed its “deep pain and displeasure” with the controversy over Mirza’s video and asked the civic body to re-upload her clip.
The HC said it was anguished by the “petty mindset” of certain persons, especially those who are representatives of the common man.
Asked about the HC’s remarks, Fadnavis told reporters in Pune, “I don’t think the High Court has reprimanded the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. It might have expressed some opinion, because the case itself had not gone to the High Court. So, where is the question of reprimanding it?”
To a query on the deletion of Mirza’s video, the chief minister said it was the civic body’s discretion.
“Yes, it was deleted. It is the Mumbai municipal corporation’s wish. While operating its social media handle, what to retain and what to remove is the authority of the person who owns the handle. They have done that,” he said.
“Dia Mirza may be a good actress, but she is not a very big leader of India. Therefore, I feel this is not an issue of my level. Ask me questions on issues of my level,” the CM added.
