MUMBAI (Showbiz Desk): Veteran Bollywood actress Soni Razdan has joined actress Dia Mirza in opposing the bursting of firecrackers during Diwali, describing the practice as equivalent to acting against the interests of the country.
In a post on Instagram, Soni Razdan said parents of young children were well aware of how air pollution affected children's health and how many days they had to miss school because of illnesses.
She said that under such circumstances, bursting even a single firecracker during Diwali was against life, health and the national interest. People should make responsible decisions to protect their own health and that of their children.
The actress has also disabled comments on her post.
Soni Razdan's statement came after controversy erupted over Dia Mirza's appeal to celebrate Diwali without firecrackers. Mumbai's civic administration had removed Dia Mirza's video on environmental awareness from social media following objections from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Later, the Bombay High Court directed the administration to restore the video, observing that environmental pollution affects people of all religions and communities equally. The court also expressed regret over the unnecessary controversy surrounding the matter.
It is worth mentioning that, besides Dia Mirza, actress Madhuri Dixit and Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane, along with several other prominent personalities, had also participated in the campaign promoting an environmentally friendly Diwali.