Bhumiputra warn: ‘No D.B. Patil, no NMIA inauguration’ as 1.5 lakh plan protest march on October 6
MP Suresh (Balya Mama) Mhatre addressing the planning meeting in Koparkhairane on Sunday. Pic/By Special Arrangement
The naming dispute for the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) has escalated, with project-affected persons (PAPs) and local communities announcing a massive protest march on October 6 — just two days before the airport’s reported inauguration on October 8.
The agitators, led by local leaders and “Bhumiputra” groups, insist the airport must be officially named after the late farmer leader Dinkar Balu Patil (DB Patil), who championed the cause of PAPs in Navi Mumbai. “No name, no inauguration,” has become the clear, non-negotiable stand of the organisers.
‘Last chance’ before launch
The timing is crucial, as the demonstration is set for a day before the expected Union Cabinet meeting on October 7. MP Suresh (Balya Mama) Mhatre, who chaired a planning session in Koparkhairane on Sunday, warned: “Until the airport is officially named after DB Patil, there will be no inauguration. Once operations begin, the Centre will play its game. This is our last chance.”
CA Nilesh Dnyaneshwar Patil, president of the Aagri Koli Youth Foundation and chief coordinator of the movement, added, “We want the final official letter confirming DB Patil’s name for the airport before inauguration. If the Centre does not issue the notification, nothing else will be accepted.”
Why DB Patil?
DB Patil, a five-time MLA, two-time MP, and former Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra, is revered for leading historic agitations for farmers and PAPs. Locals credit him for protecting the rights of those displaced by large-scale projects, including the Navi Mumbai airport itself. Leaders argue that verbal assurances, including those made by the state CM, are meaningless without a written order from the Union Civil Aviation Ministry.
Protest details
Date: October 6
Event: Dhaddak Morcha (Silent March)
Participants: Over 1.5 lakh people from Raigad, Thane, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and Palghar districts, plus 2 lakh supporters from Navi Mumbai villages
Route: From Karave village to the NMIA site, spanning 5–6 km
Nature: Silent, peaceful, non-violent; no damage to property or disruption of traffic, organisers stressed.
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