Overview
- Central Railway played Bhojpuri devotional songs at several Mumbai stations ahead of Chhath Puja and stopped the broadcasts after objections from Marathi organisations and opposition parties on Friday.
- Railway officials said the music was played on Railway Board guidance to ‘create a festive atmosphere’ at terminuses running special trains and was limited to non-essential PA slots separate from routine train announcements.
- Commuter groups and passengers complained the loud tracks sometimes made regular announcements inaudible and asked why PA systems are used for entertainment when operational updates and safety information are often missing.
- Political reactions split along regional lines: local BJP leaders defended the devotional songs and called objections politically motivated, while MNS, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Marathi bodies called for investigations and restrictions to protect Maharashtra’s linguistic identity.
- The episode highlights long-running tensions in Mumbai over use of public infrastructure for cultural expression and could prompt Indian Railways to clarify permission rules, oversight of station PA content, and how festivals for migrant communities are accommodated.