Kolkata, Nov. 9 -- While several Tollywood celebrities celebrated the festival of lights by offering puja, visiting pandals, another section of the Bengali film fraternity took to social media to flag the unchecked bursting of loud firecrackers and the distress it caused to animals. Celebrities, including Sreelekha Mitra, Debojyoti Mishra, Mainak Banerjee, Mimi Chakraborty, Joyraj Bhattacharjee and Debopriyo Mukherjee, voiced their concerns over how Diwali had turned into a nightmare for stray animals and pets.
Actress Sreelekha Mitra shared a video of her terrified pet, pointing out that the situation remained unchanged under TMC and BJP regimes. "No political party, administration or police force seems capable of making people listen. And ultimately, it is these helpless animals who have to bear the consequences," the 'Bhooter Bhabishyat' actress said. She also revealed that she had repeatedly messaged West Bengal Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul, even past midnight. Sreelekha acknowledged Paul as one of the ministers who showed a sense of responsibility by stepping out after receiving multiple complaints about deafening cracker noise on Kali Puja night.
Ace composer Debojyoti Mishra spoke about his dog retreating under the bed, terrified by the relentless noise. Taking a dig at BJP Tollygunge MLA Papiya Adhikari's claim that firecrackers could cure diseases, Mishra highlighted the responsibility that comes with public influence. As her remark triggered a wave of memes on social media, he wrote: "People trust them, draw courage from them, and sometimes even seek validation for their own reckless behaviour through what they say. That is why, when you hold a microphone, you must also be willing to shoulder some responsibility."
Meanwhile, actor Debopriyo Mukherjee held Kolkatans responsible for the reckless bursting of crackers. "This wasn't Diwali. It was a chance for Kolkata to prove just how inconsiderate we are when it comes to animals, nature, the elderly, those who are unwell, and the environment. Aided by the inaction of the authorities, we surpassed all expectations and proved ourselves to be the self-centred, illiterate morons that we are," he posted.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.