What does Dia Mirza know about Sanatan Dharma? BJP MLA Ram Kadam amid Diwali row

BJP MLA from Ghatkopar West, Ram Kadam, on Tuesday criticised actor Dia Mirza over her participation in a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) campaign on celebrating a pollution-free Diwali, questioning her understanding of Hindu religious traditions and saying celebrities should study a subject before commenting on it.“Dia Mirza is a talented artist. She can educate people about art, or even share knowledge about her own religion. But what does she know about Sanatan Hindu Dharma? She does not know," Kadam said.He argued that Diwali was not merely about gathering people for a party at night, but involved several religious rituals and ceremonies that extended beyond the main festival.Explaining the traditions associated with the festival, Kadam said Diwali celebrations began with Dhanteras and continued beyond Bhai Dooj until Tulsi Vivah. He added that several rituals, prayers and religious ceremonies were observed during this period. "Before giving their opinions on any subject, celebrities must study it. Otherwise, people's faith, devotion and sentiments are hurt. That is the only issue here," he said.Kadam further described Sanatan Hindu Dharma as tolerant, saying it did not cause pain or distress to others and instead encouraged people to care for one another. He questioned why people from other religions needed to instruct Hindus on how to celebrate Diwali. However, Kadam also welcomed the Bombay High Court's intervention in the controversy. On Tuesday, the Bombay High Court expressed its displeasure over politicians commenting against the BMC campaign.WHAT IS THE DIA MIRZA DIWALI AD ROW?The controversy erupted after the BMC removed a pollution-free Diwali campaign video featuring Dia Mirza from its social media platforms following objections from Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam and Mayor Ritu Tawde.The civic body's campaign featured several celebrities, including Mirza, actors Madhuri Dixit and Nishigandha Wad, and cricketer Ajinkya Rahane. They recorded messages highlighting the harmful effects of firecrackers on air and noise pollution and urging citizens to celebrate Diwali responsibly.Satam had questioned Mirza's inclusion in the campaign, saying people did not need lessons on how to celebrate Diwali as their traditions were deeply rooted in their culture. Tawde also backed the objection, accusing the actor of being opposed to Hindutva.Mirza, meanwhile, defended her participation, saying the video was recorded in the public interest following a court directive. She argued that air pollution was a matter of public health and efforts to reduce it should be welcomed.BOMBAY HIGH COURT CRITICISES POLITICAL COMMENTSOn Tuesday, the Bombay High Court expressed displeasure over the BMC's decision to remove Mirza's video and criticised what it described as "loose comments" by politicians against celebrities participating in the campaign.A bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale said Mumbai thrived on a sense of togetherness and that the balance should not be disturbed by such remarks."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 observed.The bench said it would be ideal for the BMC to restore the deleted video, leaving the final decision to the civic body. It also said the move would help restore people's confidence in the Constitution.- Ends