SHIRDI BANDH !!!
- IN PROTEST OF SAI TRUST FUNDING SHIRDI AIRPORT - 20th April`2011The Maharashtra State Government has sought financial assistance of Rs 50 crore from the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust
for the completion of the Shirdi airport. A similar request on an earlier occasion had caught flak from locals who objected to
the use of funds raised by the Temple Trust for the facility. The protesters had even held a Shirdi Bandh last August.
The Sai Temple Trust, which resolved to contribute towards the Airport's development in 2008, had to withhold its decision.
The project is now being affected due to a paucity of funds.
Sasane however conceded that the airport project would boost religious tourism in and around Shirdi
and that the region's industrial development should go hand-in-hand with the airport project to boost employment.
Sai Trust's Chairman Shri.Jayant Sasane said that a decision would be taken after consulting the Law & Judiciary department.
But to protest this move of Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust`Shirdi to donate half a billion rupees for the proposed Shirdi airport,
around 80 villagers on Wednesday 20th April`2011 went on an indefinite hunger strike and parts of Shirdi observed a shutdown.
The villagers, united under different groups, have staged a sit-in-cum-hunger strike outside the Sai Baba Temple.
Supported by various political parties like the Nationalist Congress Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena,
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 at Kakdi Village, on the outskirts of the town.
The existing Board of Trustees came into being 23rd Aug`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.
In the meeting held by protesting opposition party in Shirdi, the following resolutions were passed:1) Shirdi Sansthan should not give Rs.50 crores to Kakdi (Shirdi) Airport.
2) Present board of Trustees should be dissolved.
3) In the new board of Trustees locals should be given 50% representation.
4) An Inquiry into the Management of the present board of Trustees by a retired Judge.
5) Shirdi Development Board should be dissolved.
While, at the same time, the present ruling party in Shirdi Muncipality held another meeting, wherein
a resolution was passed by the Shirdi Sansthan to accept the Govt's demand of Rs.50 crores for the Shirdi Airport.
Another resolution congratulating Shirdi Sansthan on their generous contribution of Rs.62 crores to construct roads in Shirdi,
was also passed.
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. The shutdown was nearly 70% success and peaceful and there are no reports of any untoward incident
from anywhere in the town. The Sai Baba temple however remained open.
- COUNTER PROTEST TO SHIRDI BANDH - 21st April`2011To counter the Shirdi Bandh called by the opposing political parties, on Thursday 21st April`2011,
a few members of Shirdi's ruling Municipal party too went on a hunger strike outside the Maruti temple @ Shirdi.
They alleged that the Shirdi Bandh was all politically motivated and that the Shirdi Sai Sansthan had in the past 7 years done a lot for Shirdi.
The 'Shri Sainath' Super Speciality Hospital does the maximum Heart Operations in India which has proved very beneficial for the poor.
Plus the Sai Sansthan operated "Prasadalaya" feeds around 30,000 to 40,000 people everyday at a very subsidized rate of Rs.10 per person.
The work on the Beautification of Shirdi has started, Proper Roads are being made
and the work of the Water Purification plant is almost done which will make clean drinking water available to pilgrims free of cost
at the prasadalaya, hospital, temple premises and the dharamshala.
~~ VIDEO ~~[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v-TYeHB12U[/youtube]
"When mOney grOws, that mOney causes mOre pOlitics & mOre religiOn.
As pOlitics grOws, sO dO mOney & religiOn.
Likewise, when religiOn grows sO dO pOlitics & mOney .
And, when any of them grOw, the Magnitude of the cycle Increases."....anOnymOusrOhit beHaL