Navi Mumbai: The All-Party Action Committee (APAC) which is fighting to get the name of the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) after socialist and leader of project affected persons (PAP) late DB Patil has started preparation for another massive protest against the state government. They held a meeting on October 1 in Jasai village to chalk out a plan.
They alleged that the state government has been delaying in sending a proposal to the Union Aviation Ministry for final approval. They put up a nameplate of PAP's leader late D B Patil at three entry gates of NMIA on August 9.
A meeting of all former and present MLAs from Agari Koli and similar communities will be called in the next few days to put pressure on the state government to send the proposal to the central government. In the meeting, they will also decide the direction of the protest.
Last year in July, the state cabinet cleared a proposal to name the NMIA after the late D B Patil, who had led several farmers and landowners protests in the Panvel district when the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) had acquired land in the area in the 1970s and '80s.
Villagers worship late DB Patil
However, Dashrath Patil, president of APAC alleged that despite the state cabinet approval of the name, a proposal for final approval has not yet been sent to the Aviation Ministry in Delhi. “There is a lot of resentment among villagers as they worship late D B Patil,” said Patil, adding that late D B Patil is symbolic of every farmer and villager who lost their lives for PAP's rights.
The meeting was attended by former MP Ramseth Thakur, Panvel MLA Prashant Thakur, Thane former MP Dr Sanjeev Naik, and representatives of all political parties.
Villagers and workers to be informed about next agitation
Ramseth Thakur said that there is a need to first create an environment for agitation. “Every villagers and workers will be informed about the development for another agitation,” said Thakur.
Earlier, in June 2023, a delegation of the All-Party Action Committee led by Dashrath Patil and Santosh Kene gave a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendraji Fadnavis and urged them to send the proposal to the central government without delay in view of the strong sentiment of the Bumiputras (son of the soil) in the state.
