Over 25k defy ban, protest over Navi Mumbai airport name row – Times of India

NAVI MUMBAI: Over 25,000 protesters, from Navi Mumbai, Kalyan and Dombivli, joined a protest march to Cidco Bhawan on Thursday, demanding naming of Navi Mumbai international airport after late D B Patil, a leader of project-affected persons (PAPs).
Navi Mumbai police, who denied them permission, used drones to capture images of protestors, probably as evidence to register FIRs.
The protesters, who included BJP activists and PAPs, were stopped at NMMC HQ on Palm Beach road. The protest continued for four hours and later a delegation of Core Action Committee of PAPs said they demanded that Cidco board cancel a proposal naming the airport after Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray and instead table a new proposal naming it after Patil. The committee gave a deadline of August 15 or PAPs will not allow Cidco to continue airport work.
DCP (special branch) Rupali Ambure said around 2,800 Navi Mumbai policemen and additional forces of around 500, including officers from other commissionerates and seven SRPF companies, were deployed. Around 25,000 participated in the march. Though no untoward incident was reported, an FIR will be registered.
Dashrath Patil, president of the committee leading the protest, said, “Our delegation submitted a memorandum to Cidco chairman’s office stating that its board should revoke the proposal of naming the airport after Thackeray.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s party’s lone MLA, Pramod (Raju) Patil joined the protest. Raj had said that the airport was an extension of Mumbai airport, so it will have the same name.