A B737-400 WAS DISPATCHED WITH A DAMAGED AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT PRESSURE RELIEF PANEL DEFERRED WHICH IS AN MEL REQUIREMENT.

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SHORTLY BEFORE BLOCK DEP; I WAS NOTIFIED BY GND CREW OF THE DISCOVERY OF DAMAGE TO THE AFT LOWER CARGO COMPARTMENT. I PROCEEDED TO THE AFT CARGO AREA AND INSPECTED THE ACFT DAMAGE. THE FORWARD 'PRESSURE RELIEF PANEL' IN THE AFT CARGO CEILING WAS PUSHED IN. I NOTIFIED CONTRACT MAINT AND MADE AN ACFT LOGBOOK WRITE-UP. CONTRACT MECH INSPECTED THE DISPLACED PANEL AND INFORMED ME HE NEEDED A TORQUE WRENCH TO RESET THE 'PRESSURE RELIEF PANEL' TORQUE BOLTS TO THE PROPER TORQUE SETTING. UNFORTUNATELY; A TORQUE WRENCH WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE ARPT. MAINT CTL THEN INFORMED ME OF THEIR INTENTION TO DEFER THE ITEM UNDER B737 MEL XXXX. THIS MEL ITEM REFERS TO 'LOWER CARGO COMPARTMENT LINING PANELS.' I HAD MY DOUBTS CONCERNING THE APPLICABILITY OF THIS DEFERRAL. IT SEEMED TO ME THAT A 'LOWER CARGO COMPARTMENT LINING PANEL' AND A 'PRESSURE RELIEF PANEL' ARE NOT THE SAME THING. I DECIDED THEREFORE TO REVIEW THE ACFT SYS MANUAL; FURTHER REVIEW THE MEL; CONSULT WITH MY COPLT IN ADDITION TO WHICH I REQUESTED THAT THE COMPANY PAGE THE B737 FLT MGR AND HAVE HIM GIVE ME A CALL. RELUCTANTLY THE MAINT CTL REPRESENTATIVE AGREED. I HAD A CONFERENCE CALL WITH THE B737 FLT MGR; MAINT CTLR AND MYSELF. DURING THIS CALL; THE MAINT CTLR REPEATEDLY STATED 'I'LL TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY.' I FELT INTIMIDATED. I REMINDED THE MAINT CTLR OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS PIC. COMPLICATING THE MATTER WAS CONTRACT MAINT'S REFUSAL TO DEFER THE ITEM UNDER MEL XXXX. AFTER ALL; THIS MAN WAS A CERTIFIED MECH FOR XYZ ACR. THE MAINT CTLR SPOKE TO ME AGAIN IN AN INTIMIDATING TONE SAYING 'THAT ACR MECH IS FULL OF SHIT...WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE...' IN THE END; I ACCEPTED THE ENRTE MEL XXXX; BECAUSE IN MY OPINION; THE SAFETY OF FLT WAS NOT AFFECTED. ADMINISTRATIVELY THOUGH; I HAVE MY DOUBTS CONCERNING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THIS DEFERRAL. MORE INFO ON THIS MATTER IS NEEDED; AND IS APPARENTLY FORTHCOMING FROM THE B737 FLT MGR.