Mira Rajput says 'AQI news is not just for the next Instagram story' post Diwali

Mumbai Oct 22 (IANS) The air quality in both Delhi and Mumbai have deteriorated significantly post Diwali celebrations. Taking note of the situation, Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor’s better half, Mira Rajput Kapoor, took to the Stories section of her Instagram handle and urged people to stop normalising bursting crackers in the name of “tradition”.

Mira pointed out that if we as adults do not stop bursting crackers, our kids will also follow suit, making things even worse for the environment.

She shared her views on the photo-sharing app, saying, “Why are we still bursting crackers? It’s not okay even if it’s ‘just for the kids to see once’ or ‘we’re just doing it once for them to have the experience.’ Neither is it okay for your pataka aesthetic to hold a phuljhadi for the gram. Let’s please stop normalising this. If we normalise it so will our kids and this will never stop (sic).”

Thanks to the Diwali celebration, the AQI in Delhi has reached the "severe” category, with Mumbai's air quality dipping to “very poor” levels in many regions.

Mira also called out the hypocrisy of people who make their kids hold the poster of 'Say no to crackers' during Earth Day and forget their own advice during Diwali.

“Say no to crackers cannot be the poster you get your kids to make for Earth Day and then forget about it when Diwali comes along. AQI news is not just for the next Instagram story — it’s the air our children breathe. This is not a tradition I wish to indulge in. And what’s sad is, despite the privilege, education, awareness and affluence, what lacks is common sense. So no, I won’t send my kids to watch while you’ll have some cracker fun. Please stop.”, Mira's social media note concluded.

--IANS

pm/