Bhojpuri Chhath songs played at Harbour line stations; Kishori Pednekar slams government

Bhojpuri songs for Chhath Puja were played at railway stations on Mumbai's Harbour line on Bhai Dooj during Diwali. The songs were heard over the speakers used for making announcements at the stations. Chhath Puja falls on the coming Sunday. Controversies have arisen over Chhath Puja before as well.

This happened at Wadala, Nerul and a few other stations. Several passengers expressed anger and said this was Maharashtra, not Uttar Pradesh or Bihar.

Kishori Pednekar, Leader of the Opposition in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and a leader of the Uddhav Thackeray faction, also voiced her displeasure. She said, "Ask them where Balasaheb's ideas have been kept. Today, permission for everything comes from the Centre. And who will give it, other than the Centre, meaning Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and the Railway Minister?"

Pednekar went on, "They want to make Maharashtra like UP and Bihar. UP and Bihar have improved. Children have begun to study. Rioters have begun to change. The Chief Minister there is doing well. The Chief Minister here has started doing UP-Bihar. If the Constitution is to be changed, this is it."

She also said, "In Maharashtra, Maharashtra's songs should be heard. Songs in the languages of Bihar, Assam and UP should be heard there. Why were Bhojpuri songs played at our Maharashtra railway stations? The songs were played loudly. There are no decibel limits there."

Pednekar asked, "Everyone has to follow decibel limits, and these people do not want to. The Marathi person does not flare up, so these people's boldness keeps growing. Our martyrs took Maharashtra out of Gujarat and won it. Those people now want to join Maharashtra's borders from all sides again and want to finish Maharashtra. This is how the changing of the Constitution begins. There are many kinds of languages in many states. Why are Bhojpuri songs being played in Maharashtra?"