Actor Soni Razdan has raised concerns about the impact of firecrackers on children's health, urging people to think twice before bursting them this Diwali.
Her comments come amid the ongoing debate over actor Dia Mirza's anti-firecracker awareness video, which was removed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after political objections.
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Soni Razdan's Strong Message On Firecrackers
In a post shared on Instagram late Tuesday, Razdan spoke about how air pollution is affecting children and their daily lives. She pointed out that many are falling ill and missing school because of poor air quality.
“Any parent of a young child will tell you how much their children are suffering because of air pollution. How many school days they miss because of illness,” she wrote.
Razdan also questioned the decision to burst firecrackers despite these health concerns.
“So if you tell me that, in such circumstances, it is perfectly alright to burst even one cracker this Diwali, I can only say that it seems to me to be anti-life, anti-health and yes... anti-national,” she added.
She urged people to make better choices for themselves and their children, “Health is a choice we make for ourselves and our children. Let us make the right one.”
The actor has disabled comments on her post.
Why Was Dia Mirza's Video Removed?
Diwali awareness video featuring Dia Mirza was part of a campaign asking people to avoid firecrackers and celebrate in a way that causes less air and noise pollution.
The campaign faced objections from some political leaders, including Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam. Following the criticism, the civic body took down Mirza's video, while similar clips featuring Madhuri Dixit and cricketer Ajinkya Rahane continued to remain online.
Mirza later clarified that the video was made to spread awareness about pollution and encourage people to celebrate Diwali in a healthier and more mindful way. She said air pollution is a public health concern and that efforts to reduce it can benefit everyone.
Bombay High Court Asks BMC To Restore Video
The issue reached the Bombay High Court, which questioned the BMC's decision to remove Mirza's video. A bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale expressed concern over the political objections and said the video was meant to raise awareness about pollution.
The court directed the civic body to restore the video, calling its removal unfortunate. It also stressed that pollution affects people across religions and communities, and that public health concerns should not become a source of division.
“We are a secular country. We are really hurt by this. The issue pertains to the environment and every person, irrespective of their religion and caste, is breathing the same air," the court added.
The judges highlighted the importance of India's secular values and said awareness campaigns on issues that affect everyone should be encouraged.
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