Farmers protest against airport: Defence ministry calls for meeting

Mumbai city news: The defence airport is proposed at the outskirts of Mumbai, where the villagers clashed with the police today.

After farmers got violent while protesting against the land acquisition process at Nevali, Kalyan for the proposed defence airport, Subhash Bhamre, minister of state for defence, has called an urgent meeting to discuss the issue. Bhamre also said farmers should not have resorted to violence.

A police van that was set ablaze by farmers in Kalyan.(HT Photo)

The defence airport is proposed at the outskirts of Mumbai, where the villagers clashed with the police today, and burned down police vehicles this morning.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has started the process of acquiring around 1600 acres of land in Kalyan and Ambernath talukas of Thane district for an airport.

Local resentment had been building against plans to turn an abandoned World War II airbase into an defence airbase at Nevali, about 45 km northeast of Mumbai. But Thursday’s protests took an unexpected violent turn, with farmers whose land had been acquired for the project attacking the police.

Bhamre, who was on tour in Dhule district, immediately left for Delhi and has called a meeting with senior defence officials.

Ganpat Gaikwad, local MLA said he will be meeting chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and demand giving the land back to the farmers.