Mumbai railway stations play Bhojpuri songs linked to Chhath Puja ahead of the festival, triggering objections from some Marathi organisations and complaints from commuters. Several outlets describe the songs being broadcast over station public announcement systems at locations including CSMT (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus), Wadala, and stations on parts of the Central Railway network, with additional mentions of other nearby areas.
The dispute is framed differently by different outlets. Times of India and Free Press Journal both report criticism from Marathi-speaking groups and political figures, alongside commuter concerns about whether essential announcements are affected by the music. India Today focuses more narrowly on the fact that the songs were played ahead of Chhath Puja and that this sparked a row. Free Press Journal adds detail that, after objections, Central Railway stopped playing the songs in response to the controversy.
Central Railway and its officials are also presented in some reports as clarifying the operational impact, with one account stating that essential announcements remain unaffected and that non-essential times are used. The controversy also feeds wider discussion about how festivals and languages are represented in public spaces like railway stations.
