Bhojpuri songs at Ambivli station on Bhaubeej anger Marathi speakers after video goes viral

Bhojpuri songs were played at Ambivli railway station while Bhaubeej was being celebrated in Maharashtra. A video of the songs playing at the station went viral on social media, and Marathi speakers expressed their anger.

People are asking why songs from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are being pushed so much, with Maharashtra's festivals forgotten. Some are also asking whether Maharashtra has been taken and placed straight in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It was the Diwali season, and the day before, on Bhaubeej, there was a mood of celebration across Maharashtra, yet Bhojpuri songs were played at Ambivli station.

The criticism is that, at a railway station in the state on Bhaubeej, Bhojpuri songs were played instead of songs linked to the Marathi festival. People are asking whether Maharashtra's festivals and culture are being pushed aside to favour songs from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Twelve years ago, the question "Where have they taken my Maharashtra?" was raised. Now the same question is being asked again: has Maharashtra been taken straight to Bihar and UP? The incident at Ambivli station has brought the issue of Marathi identity back into discussion.

Local office-bearers of the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena have complained about Bhojpuri songs played at Wadala and Nerul railway stations. Local corporator Madhuri Manjrekar has also filed a complaint. She says Bhojpuri songs are being played loudly at railway stations in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

Chhath Puja falls on the coming Sunday. Because of this, Bhojpuri songs are being played intermittently at Central Railway stations in Mumbai, including CSMT and several other places. These include Wadala, Sanpada and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj station, along with other stations.

Suraj Ambelkar wrote on X that a Chhath Puja song was being played at Parel railway station today. He said that when there are celebrations for Maharashtra Day, Ganpati, Dussehra, Holika Dahan, Holi and Shiv Jayanti, songs are played at some stations and not at others. According to him, Chhath Puja is not a Maharashtra festival for songs to be played here.