To decry the government's demand of money for building the airport, the party workers yesterday wore face-masks of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, minsters Narayan Rane and Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, with begging-bowls in their hands.
Local MP Bhausaheb Waghchaure, who led the protest, said if the state was short of funds, it could build the airport on built-operate-transfer basis, but should not take the money donated by devotees of Sai Baba.
The trust, so far, has given Rs 35 crore to the government. Shirdi, famous for its Sai Baba shrine, is visited by lakhs of devotees from across the country every month.