Mumbai- The “Sea Shore Shine” cleanup drive, held on September 7, at Juhu Beach, aimed to restore the beach after Ganesh Visarjan left behind significant waste, including plastic, thermocol, and idol remnants.

Organized by Amruta Devendra Fadnavis's Divyaj Foundation, the event saw participation from prominent figures like Akshay Kumar, who stressed that cleanliness is a shared responsibility, not just the government’s. BMC workers, volunteers, and other organizations joined in, collecting several tons of debris. Amruta Fadnavis highlighted the need to integrate environmental responsibility into festival culture, urging citizens to prioritize cleanliness.

Despite its intentions, the event faced criticism for reasons beyond its environmental goals. Some social media users questioned Amruta’s attire, calling it unsuitable for a cleanup, but the primary grievance centered on the perceived sidelining of BMC sanitation workers. Critics argued that celebrities and organizers took credit for a photo-op while the real labor was performed by civic workers who receive little recognition.

Accusations of 'Publicity Stunt' and Neglect

The campaign’s photos and videos went viral on social media, triggering a wave of criticism. Many users labeled the event a “photo op” or “nautanki,” accusing organizers of staging the cleanup for publicity. One user remarked, “Who cleans like this, with cameramen all around and trash conveniently in one spot? The public sees through it.”

Another user, Vikrant Joshi, stated, “All the so called NGOs in Juhu Bandra promoting beach clean up drive at 7 am the next day of bappa visarjan, let me tell you it is only for photo op’s and nothing else.. these NGOs (90%) of them call actors politicians and bureaucrats to do the beach cleaning just for the record purpose..In actual it is photo ops time they pretend to pick up thodasa and then leave. After 1 hour of this event, it is the BMC safai kamgaar doing the actual work!”

Some questioned how trash appeared on a restricted beach, calling the event “staged” and disrespectful to civic workers. One user wrote, " What does she or her mother know about Sanatan Religion that she is giving gyan to Sanatanis. Amruta Fadnavis leads a Be Santa Campaign on Christmas but comes to beach to clean the beach after Ganesh Visarjan to show mirror to Sanatanis that they are doing wrong. Hypocrites."

Bahujan activists connected the issue to caste-based exploitation, arguing that sanitation workers, predominantly from Dalit communities, are consistently ignored. One post read, “After polluting the water during worship, the elite pose for photos, while BMC workers do the real cleanup.”

Others accused Amruta of hypocrisy, pointing to her involvement in other high-profile campaigns while overlooking the daily struggles of sanitation workers. A few users defended her, arguing that the focus on her attire was unfair and distracted from the campaign’s positive intent, but the overwhelming sentiment highlighted the marginalization of civic workers.

A post from handle @thetrendingeyes reads, "This backlash is misplaced, as her attire—practical for physical work—does not diminish the initiative’s impact. The focus on her clothing overshadows the event’s success, which saw diverse participation and raised awareness about eco-friendly practices, including calls for sustainable Ganesha idols by her daughter, Divija. Such criticism unfairly distracts from the collective effort to protect Mumbai’s coastline."

The controversy highlights the harsh realities of manual scavenging in India. Most sanitation workers belong to Dalit and other marginalized communities, often working without safety equipment and risking their lives in hazardous conditions like sewers and septic tanks. Government data reveals many suffocation deaths among sanitation workers, with over 90% of these coming from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), or Other Backward Classes (OBC).

Despite laws banning manual scavenging, the practice persists, and workers face not only dangerous conditions but also social stigma and lack of recognition. Bahujan activists argue that events like the Juhu Beach cleanup glorify celebrity involvement while ignoring the workers who keep cities clean year-round, calling it a reflection of a discriminatory “Manuwadi” system.