On Thursday, BJP activists, PAPs and locals residents will joint in protest outside the CIDCO head office at Belapur, demanding that the Navi Mumbai International Airport be named after late leader of the PAPs, DB Patil.
Belapur / Panvel / Navi Mumbai: The local BJP activists and PAPs are readying themselves for a grand protest, under the banner of All-Party Action Committee (APAC). The protest or “CIDCO Gherao”, to be held outside the CIDCO head office at Belapur on Thursday, 24th June, 2021, is a peaceful attempt to pressurize the state government to withdraw their decision of naming the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIL) after late Shiv Sena leader Balasaheb Thackeray.
The protestors are demanding it to be named after the late PAPs leader DB Patil, who had relentlessly advocated for the cause of local PAPs for years.
For those who are unaware, the naming of the Navi Mumbai International Airport has already raised a lot of eyebrows, with locals questioning the decision of the state government of naming the airport after their late supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, and not after the local leader DB Patil.
To top it up, there have many suggestions like naming the Navi Mumbai International Airport after the aviation pioneer JRD Tata.
Recently, MNS Chief Raj Thackeray suggested that it would be best to name the Navi Mumbai International Airport after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as it was an extension of Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
MLA Prashant Thakur, Panvel, has taken up the matter with CIDCO and also the CM Uddhav Thackeray, questioning the logic in not honouring the late leader of the PAPs and disrespecting the emotions of the locals. He has received full support from local PAPs and leaders.
The protest has been backed by many local leaders and PMC officials like Jagdish Gaikwad, deputy mayor of Panvel, who has been known for such protests, along with many other PAP leaders and local citizens.
The peaceful protest will see protestors coming in from far off places and will gain momentum from around 10:30 am.
The Navi Mumbai Traffic Police has already announced traffic diversions for 24th June, for different routes like Mumbai-Pune, Uran phata-CBD-Kharghar, Old Pune highway and Goa highway, Palm Beach road, Thane-Belapur road.
Read detailed news about tommorow’s traffic diversions here: Traffic diversion on June 24 to prevent law and order situation anticipating airport protest
The organisers have requested for a peaceful march requesting all protestors not to disrupt services of local transport, ambulances etc.
Surprisingly, the protest march has not been given the go-ahead by the commissioner’s office with the deputy commissioner even having imposed section 144.
The police is of the opinion that mass mobilisation should be avoided for now, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Any such event would only help accelerate infections further in the city.
The Navi Mumbai Police have even warned the APAC against holding the mass protests as the state government and local administration have not approved of it.
The protestors claim the “CICDO Gherao” to be a gentle reminder of the sentiments and unity of the PAPs and local residents and also a precedent to many such protests to follow, if the state government failed to honour them.
Last Updated on June 23, 2021 by lp@admin
