Loknete D. B. Patil: The farmer-leader who shaped Navi Mumbai’s land story
Loknete D. B. Patil was a Uran–Panvel–Raigad farmer-rights leader and senior PWP politician (MLA, MP, LoP) who led landmark agitations during Navi Mumbai’s land acquisition years and remains central to the ongoing demand to name the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) after him.
Quick Facts
- Full name: Dinkar Balu Patil (“D. B. Patil”, “Loknete D. B. Patil”)
- Born–Died: 13 Jan 1926 (Jasai, Uran) — 24 Jun 2013 (Panvel)
- Party: Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP)
- Offices held: Leader of Opposition, Maharashtra Assembly (1972–77; again 1982–83); MLA (multiple terms); MP, Lok Sabha (Kolaba 1977–80; 1984–89); MLC (1992–98).
- Known for: Leading PAP (Project-Affected Persons) movements; negotiating better compensation and rehabilitation; symbolic figure in the NMIA naming debate.
Born in a farming family in Jasai (Uran), Patil studied law (LLB, 1951) and carried his courtroom clarity into grassroots politics. As Navi Mumbai began taking shape under CIDCO, he emerged as the voice of villagers whose lands were being acquired at pace. His campaigns—often confrontational yet disciplined—helped push forward the now-famous 12.5% developed-land compensation idea for PAPs, which state policy later embraced more widely. Politically, he straddled mass movements and legislative roles (LoP, MLA, MP, MLC). In public memory, his name is inseparable from farmer rights in Raigad—and from the airport-naming movement that resurfaces whenever NMIA milestones approach.
Early life & education
D. B. Patil was born 13 January 1926 in Jasai, Uran (Raigad). He studied law and practiced between 1951–56 before entering electoral politics from Panvel. The legal training shows in his negotiation style—hard on principles, precise on demands.
Rise as a farmer-rights leader (PAPs, CIDCO, and Navi Mumbai)
When CIDCO began large-scale acquisition across Uran–Panvel–Thane for the new city, PAPs faced displacement, slow resettlement, and uneven compensation. D. B. Patil organized morchas and broad coalitions that made PAP issues unignorable. A crucial flashpoint came in 1984—agitation escalated, several farmers were killed, and the political cost of ignoring PAPs rose sharply; the 12.5% developed-land scheme for affected owners crystallized in policy practice thereafter.
The pressure did not end in the 1980s. PAP mobilizations recurred in the 2010s, with large demonstrations outside CIDCO Bhavan demanding long-promised land/amenities—evidence that Patil’s movement created a durable organizing template that others continue to use.
Marathi micro-note: “12.5% विकसित भूखंड”—हा शब्दप्रयोग आज सर्वत्र परिचित आहे; या मागणीचा उगम रायगड–उरण–पनवेलच्या शेतकरी चळवळीत आहे.
Political career (clean chronology — expanded)
MLA, Panvel (1962–72; 1979–80; 1980–85)
- Entered the Assembly from Panvel in 1962; re-elected in 1967 and 1972; returned again around 1979/80, visible in the 1980 MLA list (Panvel seat shows “D. B. Patil”). This anchors his multi-term Assembly presence across the 1960s–80s.
Leader of the Opposition, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
- April 7, 1972 – July 17, 1977 (full term during the Naik era).
- Dec 24, 1982 – Dec 14, 1983 (later stint, ~355 days). This second stint is often missed in shorter bios; cite the LoP roll.
MP, Lok Sabha (Kolaba)
- 1977 → WIN (PWP) — Vote share ~57.7%; defeated INC. (Post-Emergency wave but Kolaba backed PWP under Patil.)
- 1980 → LOSS — PWP ~30.7%; seat swung to INC(I) (A. T. Patil).
- 1984 → WIN (PWP) — ~46.3%; Patil returns, defeating INC’s A. R. Antulay’s party alignment locally (see constituency tallies).
MLC (elected by MLAs)
- 8 Jul 1992 – 7 Jul 1998. This capped his long legislative career (LS + LA + LC).
Timeline
- 1926 (Jan 13): Born at Jasai, Uran.
- 1951: LLB; begins legal practice (1951–56).
- 1957–80: Multiple MLA stints from Panvel; rises in PWP.
- 1972–77: Leader of Opposition, Maharashtra.
- 1977: MP (Kolaba) — wins (PWP, ~57.7%).
- 1980: Loses Kolaba to INC(I).
- 1982–83: LoP short second stint (355 days).
- 1984: Wins Kolaba (PWP ~46.3%); PAP agitations crest; “12.5% developed land” gains policy traction after protest deaths.
- 1992–98: MLC (elected by MLAs).
- 2013 (Jun 24): Passes away in Panvel.
- 2021 → 2025: Airport-naming protests, cabinet clearance (July 16, 2022), fresh rallies/ultimatums in 2025 as operations near.
The NMIA naming movement
After the state first moved to name the airport after Balasaheb Thackeray, PAP groups across Raigad–Uran–Panvel mounted large, disciplined protests demanding “Loknete D. B. Patil” on the terminal. Through June 2021 they formed a 12-km human chain and then, on June 24–25, marched to CIDCO Bhavan (CBD Belapur) under heavy police bandobast; coverage recorded plans to “gherao” the complex and crowd sizes ranging from thousands to well over 25,000.
In a pivotal shift, the Maharashtra Cabinet on July 16, 2022 cleared the proposal to name the airport after D. B. Patil; the same month, an Indian Express “Explained” traced why locals insist on Patil and linked the demand to PAP history and the 12.5% developed-land idea that emerged after the 1984 agitation in which four farmers were killed. Momentum returned around operational milestones: on October 8 and 12, 2024, public assurances and event-day statements (Union MoS and the CM during a test-flight moment) again said the airport will be named after D. B. Patil—important signals but still political statements pending Union formalities.
As opening neared in May–June 2025, the All-Party Action Committee warned of an “explosion of discontent,” and rallies of 1,100+ vehicles were taken out around Patil’s death anniversary on June 24. Latest (Updated: 4 September 2025): reporting shows sustained demands and renewed assurances, the state cabinet clearance remains on record, and central-level notification is still the key formal step most outlets track before signage/branding is locked—keep this line in a dated “Latest” card and refresh it when an official notification is issued.
Legacy — why he endures (with evidence).
To PAPs, Patil symbolizes dignity in displacement: the 1984 flashpoint—and the loss of four farmers—accelerated the now-famous “12.5% developed land” return alongside cash compensation, a template echoed in later Maharashtra projects. The naming movement also shows him as a cross-party local figure, with coverage noting how diverse political actors and PAP coalitions rallied under his banner—unusual in a polarized belt. And the civic repertoire he helped shape—CIDCO Bhavan marches, time-bound ultimatums, coordinated vehicle rallies—still frames how Navi Mumbai negotiates big greenfield projects today, from the 2021 mass protests to the 2025 mobilizations.
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