The Bombay High Court has expressed concern over the political backlash against actor Dia Mirza for appearing in a Diwali campaign video urging people to avoid firecrackers, questioning the objections raised by BJP leaders and emphasising that the issue was one of public health and environmental protection.

A division bench of Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Dr Neela Gokhale on Tuesday said it was “disturbed by the stray comments made by some politicians” after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) removed the video from its social media platforms following criticism from BJP leaders, Live Law reported.

Mirza had made the video at the civic body's request as part of its Diwali awareness campaign. After the BMC shared it online, several BJP leaders objected to the message and labelled the actor ‘anti-Hindu’. The civic body subsequently took down the post.

The high court praised Mirza’s message, describing the objections to it as “really unfortunate” and pointing out that India was a secular country. Referring to its own order concerning participation in the awareness campaign, the bench noted that the actor had acted in accordance with the court's directions. It also questioned the “angle” adopted by politicians in criticising the video.

Justice Gokhale said the issue concerned the environment and public health, rather than religious identity.

“Everyone is breathing the same air, be it anyone. It’s not that barring firecrackers is taking away your right to celebrate the festival,” she said, while observing that the BMC’s “knee-jerk reaction” was not necessary.

The bench further noted that the objections had come from only a handful of people and should not be allowed to derail an environmental awareness initiative. “When we are speaking about health and pollution and environment…There is no room for factionalism,” the court said, adding that “This balance ought not to be disturbed by any loose comment,” the Bench said.

Among those who criticised the campaign were Mumbai BJP president and MLA Ameet Satam and Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde. Tawde accused Mirza of taking an “anti-Hindu” and “anti-Hindutva” position, arguing that Hindus did not need actors to teach them how to celebrate Diwali.

Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane questioned why Mirza had not made similar appeals during Eid, Muharram or Bakri Eid, and had instead chosen to advocate an environment-friendly Diwali. Shiv Sena spokesperson Shaina NC also joined the criticism of the actor's video, according to the report.

The court's observations have brought the focus back to the civic body's decision to withdraw an environmental awareness message following political objections, despite the campaign's stated purpose of addressing pollution and public health concerns.