Navi Mumbai: Govt deliberately delaying naming new airport after D B Patil says Congress president | Mumbai News

Mumbai: State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Friday said the Navi Mumbai International Airport must be named after late D B Patil, accusing the BJP-led state govt of delaying the decision on the issue. Commercial operations are set to commence Dec 25.Speaking to the media, Sapkal said there was a strong public sentiment in favour of naming the airport after Patil who fought for the rights of local residents affected by development in the region. “The people of Navi Mumbai gave their land for development. D B Patil led a long struggle for the rights of the sons of the soil, and the 12.5% land compensation scheme became possible only because of his movement,” Sapkal said. The contribution of Patil, who served as both an MLA and MP from the region, could not be ignored, he said. The Congress will participate in the protest organised on Dec 22 by local organisations to press the demand of naming the airport after Patil, Sapkal said, adding, “Under no circumstances we will accept any other name.”Referring to the airport being described as “NM Airport” and the same initials being painted on the boundary wall, Sapkal said there was growing suspicion that it could be named for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had said the airport would be named after D B Patil. Congress MPs have raised the issue in the Lok Sabha and the party would pursue it in the Rajya Sabha as well, Sapkal said.Speaking on a different issue, Sapkal questioned why NCP MLA Manikrao Kokate had not been arrested and disqualified as a legislator, three days after being sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in a cheating and forgery case. The arrest was being delayed on the pretext of medical treatment but action was taken swiftly when it comes to arresting opposition leaders, Sapkal said.