Protest Erupts Over Urdu Exclusion at Maharashtra Railway Station

SDPI workers protested at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar railway station in Maharashtra over the absence of Urdu on signage after its name change from Aurangabad. They attempted a 'rail roko', but were detained. The SDPI claims the exclusion of Urdu follows political pressure, linking it to BJP actions.

In Maharashtra's Marathwada region, members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) staged a protest at the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar railway station over the absence of the Urdu language on the station's signage.

On Monday, around 20 SDPI workers attempted to conduct a 'rail roko' by entering the station premises. Railway police and RPF personnel quickly intervened, detaining the protesters to prevent any disruption, according to official reports.

The station's name was recently changed from Aurangabad via a state government gazette notification. SDPI district president Shah Sameer Ahmed criticized the exclusion of Urdu, attributing it to political motives by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, noting that other stations in the district have signage in Urdu. The detained activists were released subsequently.

(With inputs from agencies.)