The Bombay High Court directed the BMC to restore Dia Mirza's anti-firecracker campaign video. Devendra Fadnavis defended the civic body's discretion and dismissed the controversy as minor.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday dismissed the controversy over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation deleting actor Dia Mirza's anti-firecracker video as a "small issue", news agency Press Trust of India reported. He said the matter did not require his attention and maintained that the Bombay High Court had not reprimanded the civic body.The court had taken note of the controversy on its own, expressed "deep pain and displeasure", and asked the BMC to upload Mirza's video again.

The clip was part of the civic body's eco-friendly Diwali campaign.The controversy began on Monday after the BMC removed Mirza's video from social media following an objection by Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam and comments by Mayor Ritu Tawde, who described the actor as "anti-Hindu".Mirza's video urged people to avoid noise and air pollution. While her clip was removed, campaign videos featuring actors Madhuri Dixit and Nishigandha Wad and cricketer Ajinkya Rahane remained on the BMC's X and Instagram pages.

The Bombay High Court said it was anguished by the "petty mindset" of certain people, particularly those who represent the common man.Asked about the court's remarks, Fadnavis told reporters in Pune, according to PTI: "I don't think the High Court has reprimanded the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. It might have expressed some opinion, because the case itself had not gone to the High Court.

So, where is the question of reprimanding it?" Responding to a question about the deletion of Mirza's video, the chief minister said the decision was at the civic body's discretion. "Yes, it was deleted. It is the Mumbai municipal corporation's wish.

While operating its social media handle, what to retain and what to remove is the authority of the person who owns the handle. They have done that," he said.Fadnavis added: "Dia Mirza may be a good actress, but she is not a very big leader of India.

Therefore, I feel this is not an issue of my level. Ask me questions on issues of my level."The chief minister thus defended the BMC's authority to manage its social media content, even as the High Court expressed displeasure over the removal of Mirza's anti-pollution Diwali campaign video and directed the civic body to restore it.- Ends