India, Oct. 12 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pointed silence on naming the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) after farmers' leader D B Patil, during its grand inauguration on Wednesday, has ignited outrage and a sense of betrayal among Project Affected Persons (PAPs), whose land had been acquired for the project. Since the anticipated announcement never came, opposition leaders allege other names are being considered, including that of Modi himself.

The glaring omission during Modi's address at the inauguration came just five days after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis assured local leaders and PAPs that the airport would be named after Patil. Fadnavis claimed Modi had given his "positive approval" and the centre would accept ...