Bhubaneswar, Sep 28: BJD president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Monday joined a party protest at Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar demanding withdrawal of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026. The demonstration came amid another disruption in the Odisha Assembly over the legislation, with the House adjourned till 4 pm.
Addressing party leaders and workers at Gandhi Marg, Patnaik said the agitation was aimed at what he described as protecting Odisha’s interests and the rights of its people. He said the MMDR Amendment Act was directly linked to the state’s rights over its mineral resources.
Patnaik questioned the passage of the legislation in Parliament and criticised BJP MPs from Odisha for supporting the measure. He also alleged that the Odisha government had remained silent on the issue.
The BJD chief said he had earlier written to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi seeking a special Assembly session and subsequently requested that the House adopt a resolution opposing the amended Act. According to Patnaik, he did not receive a response to either request.
He further claimed that the amended law could result in losses of thousands of crores of rupees annually for Odisha. These estimates are part of the Opposition’s argument against the legislation and have been disputed by the ruling side.
Patnaik appealed to political parties to join the campaign against the amendment and said the BJD would continue its agitation until the legislation is withdrawn. The party had announced the Lower PMG demonstration as part of its wider campaign against the amended mining law.
The MMDR Amendment Act has remained a major point of contention during the ongoing Monsoon Session, with BJD and Congress members repeatedly disrupting Assembly proceedings over the issue.
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