Thaindian News

Shirdi (Maharashtra), April 20 (IANS) Around 80 villagers Wednesday went on an indefinite hunger strike and parts of this small pilgrim centre observed a shutdown to protest the move of Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust (SSST) Shirdi to donate half a billion rupees for the proposed Shirdi airport.

The villagers, united under different groups, have staged a sit-in -cum-hunger strike outside the temple to the famous late-ninteenth century saint Saibaba in the heart of the town, around 75 km from the district headquarters, Ahmednagar.

Supported by various political parties, they have opposed the decision of the SSST to make a donation of Rs.50 crore towards the cost of the ongoing work on the Shirdi airport coming up on the outskirts of the town.

The villagers are also demanding that the state government should appoint a new, regular board of trustees for the SSST to oversee the affairs of the temple, one of the richest in the country.

The existing board of trustees came into being Aug 23, 2004, and the government gave it two extensions, the present extended tenure will end in 2013.

The groups opposing the SSST’s move have claimed that the board of trustees is allegedly misusing its powers in making such a huge financial commitment for the airport project.

Denying the villagers’ claims, an official spokesman for the SSST said the proposal for making the donation has not yet been finalised.

“Moreover, it will be another two years before the airport will be ready. We will take a decision on the issue as and when required,” the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, several parts of Shirdi wore a deserted look with shops and establishments and educational institutions remaining closed in view of the shutdown, called jointly by the Nationalist Congress Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena.

The shutdown was nearly 70 percent success and peaceful and there are no reports of any untoward incident from anywhere in the town, said an official from Shirdi police station.