Chhath Puja music falls silent at railway stations after opposition objects

Central Railway officials said the Railway Board had issued instructions to play Bhojpuri music at terminuses and stations “ to create a festive atmosphere”. “The railway plays songs, jingles and awareness messages over the public address system at suburban stations, and at CSMT and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus every day

MUMBAI: Rather than face the music from opposition political parties, the Central Railway has pulled the Bhojpuri soundtracks being played at various suburban railway stations and rail terminuses on the eve of the Chhath Puja festival.

iMumbai, India - November 05, 2026: Migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, employed in various factories across Mumbai, crowd LTT railway station to board trains to their native villages ahead of Diwali and Chhath Puja, which will be celebrated on November 13. The Railways have arranged additional special trains to accommodate the rush of passengers travelling home for the festive celebrations in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, November 05, 2026. (Photo by Satish Bate / Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

The decision was taken only hours after the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirma Sena (MNS) publicly voiced their opposition to the “imposition of North Indian culture on Maharashtra”. Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also alleged it was an attempt by the BJP-led NDA government to woo North Indian voters ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections in March next year.

Central Railway officials said the Railway Board had issued instructions to play Bhojpuri music at terminuses and stations “ to create a festive atmosphere”. “The railway plays songs, jingles and awareness messages over the public address system at suburban stations, and at CSMT and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus every day. This week, we were playing North Indian music,” a CR official said.

However, the Bhojpuri music hit a raw nerve with the Sena (UBT) and MNS, which have consistently played the “anti-North Indian” card in their sons-of-the-soil politics in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra. Mumbai has a sizable population of North Indian migrants but these parties have historically objected to “outsiders” allegedly taking away the jobs of Maharashtrians.

The situation escalated when Raut warned that the “politics of Uttar Pradesh, in light of upcoming elections, should not be practiced in Mumbai”. He said, “Chhath Puja is a festival and let it be a festival only. Do not use it for political gains.” He pointed out that railways do not play songs during Diwali, Eid or Christmas. Rather than Bhojpuri songs, why don’t the railways play Vande Mataram instead, he asked.

Sena (UBT) corporator in the BMC and former mayor Kishori Pednekar accused the central government and the Maharashtra government of “attempting to alter the state’s cultural identity”. She added that the high-decibel music was a violation of noise pollution regulations.

MNS corporator and city unit chief Yashwant Killedar said the Maharashtra Navnirman Railway Kamgar Sena chief Jitu Patil met the Central Railway’s divisional railway manager, after which the railway stopped playing the Bhojpuri songs. “I am told orders were issued in Delhi to play the Bhojpuri music and railway officers in Mumbai were meekly obeying them,” alleged Killedar.

He added that the courts had prohibited the use of Girgaum Chowpatty for Chhath Puja, while BJP leaders wanted to use the historic Banganga Tank for the puja. However, he said, the MNS is opposed to this.

“I spoke to the D Ward assistant municipal commissioner and urged him not to allow Chhath Puja at Banganga as it would pollute the tank and kill the fish in it. This year, the BMC agreed to disallow the Sarvapitri Amavasya Puja in Banganga. We will not allow Chhath Puja to be observed there,” he said.