Marathi Ekikaran Samiti leader slams Bhojpuri Chhath songs at Mumbai stations, questions Fadnavis

Chhath Puja songs are being played at several railway stations in Mumbai these days. Marathi commuters are unhappy with the railway administration's order. The MNS and other political parties have also expressed anger over Bhojpuri songs being played for Chhath Puja instead of for a Marathi festival. After the MNS, Govardhan Deshmukh of the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti has now put questions to the state government. He asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis what more would be done "for begging votes".

Deshmukh said, "Do not turn Maharashtra into Bihar. Do not test the patience of the Marathi people by playing Bhojpuri songs at railway stations. So that all the chowpattys and lakes in the city are not polluted, permission should not be given. Stop the inconvenience to local citizens at public tourist spots. This festival of Bihar should be celebrated at a private place. The environment minister should look into this."

On the railways, he said, "Are the railway officials who are putting on Bhojpuri songs at Mumbai's railway stations in their senses? You are in a Marathi state, come to your senses." To the Chief Minister he said, "Chief Minister, where have you taken Maharashtra? Why are you turning Maharashtra into Bihar? What more will you do for begging votes? Have Mumbai and Maharashtra been put up for sale? What have the rulers done to Maharashtra? Now they have brought us straight to Bihar and left us here. Do not incite riots over language in Maharashtra, do not test the patience of the Marathi people."

Deshmukh warned that the railways should stop the Bhojpuri songs immediately, or a protest would be held inside railway offices.

Raju Patil, former MNS MLA, wrote in a social media post that today is Bhaubeej in Maharashtra, the Diwali festival honouring the sacred bond between brother and sister. He asked why Marathi Bhaubeej songs should not be heard at suburban railway stations today. He asked what need there was to celebrate another state's festival by playing Chhath Puja songs instead of putting Maharashtra's festivals and culture first.

Patil wrote that the question is not one of opposing Chhath Puja or any community's festival. The question is whether Maharashtra's festivals and Marathi culture will get due respect in Maharashtra. He wrote that 12 years ago the Congress government was asked, "Where have you taken my Maharashtra?", and now the time has come to ask the BJP the same question.