The Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (SP) on Monday questioned Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde’s concern for people’s safety after she appealed to citizens to exercise caution while bursting firecrackers following a spate of fire incidents on Diwali in the metropolis, news agency PTI reported.
NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) Spokesperson Clyde Crasto asked whether Tawde had not considered safety a priority when she remarked, “We don’t need Dia Mirza to teach us how to celebrate Diwali.”
Tawde’s remarks came after the actor’s participation in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) awareness campaign against firecrackers.
NCP (SP) slams BMC Mayor Ritu Tawde
The NCP (SP) leader also questioned the silence of Mumbai BJP President Ameet Satam on the firecracker safety issue.
Crasto alleged that the ruling BJP, Satam, and Tawde had communalised a safety message by targeting Mirza when the BMC had roped in celebrities to appeal to citizens to follow the Bombay High Court’s guidelines on the use of firecrackers during Diwali.
He said the Mayor, a BJP corporator, should discharge her responsibilities as the city’s first citizen and serve Mumbaikars instead of engaging in communal politics.
A controversy erupted last week after Satam objected to Mirza’s participation in the BMC campaign, following which the civic body removed her video from its social media platforms.
On the other hand, Tawde had defended the BMC decision to take down the video, saying Hindus did not need Mirza to teach them how to celebrate Diwali.
The Bombay High Court subsequently asked the BMC to restore the actor’s video, observing that an environmental issue should not be given a different colour.
137 firecracker-induced blazes reported on Diwali day
Meanwhile, Mumbai witnessed a surge in fire incidents this Diwali, recording an alarming 137 firecracker-induced blazes on Sunday, in which two firefighters were injured, officials said on Monday.
According to data shared by the BMC, the single-day tally surpassed the firecracker-related blazes recorded during the entire Diwali period in previous years—80 in 2024 and 113 in 2025.
Mumbai’s AQI stood at 147 on Tuesday
Mumbai’s overall AQI was reported at 147 on Tuesday morning, according to figures available through the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app.
Under India’s national AQI classification, readings between 51 and 100 are categorised as satisfactory, while readings from 101 to 200 fall in the moderate category. The city’s AQI of 171 therefore placed its overall air quality in the moderate range.
(With inputs from PTI)
