MNS threatens Railways over Chhath songs played at Mumbai stations, sets one-hour deadline

Chhath songs were played at some railway stations in Mumbai on the occasion of Chhath Puja, drawing objections. Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said Uttar Pradesh's election politics should not be played out in Mumbai. The MNS has now entered the controversy.

Jitendra Patil, president of the MNS railway employees' union, warned that the songs must be stopped within the next hour, failing which the response would be "MNS-style". He said no railway official would be allowed to move about at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. With this, the MNS has openly threatened vandalism against the Railways.

Patil said he wanted to know who had got Bhojpuri Chhath Puja songs played when there had been no demand for them. According to him, he has to submit applications three or four times to get songs played on platforms on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti, Marathi Language Day and the birth anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. He asked how songs were played for Chhath without any demand. Patil said the songs must be stopped immediately, or the reply would be in MNS style.

Meanwhile, Govardhan Deshmukh, president of the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti, also issued a warning. He said Maharashtra should not be turned into Bihar and the patience of the Marathi manus should not be tested. Deshmukh said permission should not be given so that all of the city's chowpattys and lakes are not polluted. He also said the inconvenience to local people at public tourist spots should be ended. He said this Bihari festival should be celebrated at private venues. He appealed to the environment minister to look into the matter.

Deshmukh raised questions against the Railways. He said: "Are the Railways, who played Bhojpuri songs at a railway station in Mumbai, in their right mind? You are in a Marathi state, come to your senses, we condemn you." Addressing the chief minister, he asked where Maharashtra had been taken and why it was being turned into Bihar. He also asked what else would be done for the sake of begging for votes, whether Maharashtra including Mumbai had been put up for sale, and what the rulers had done to Maharashtra.

Deshmukh said that now "we have been brought and left straight in Bihar". He said linguistic riots should not be incited in Maharashtra and the patience of the Marathi manus should not be tested. His demand is that the Railways immediately stop the Bhojpuri songs, or else a protest would be held by entering its offices.