Naveen Patnaik Leads Protests Against New Mining Law in Odisha
Naveen Patnaik and opposition lawmakers protested the MMDR Amendment Act in Odisha, alleging the law strips the state of mineral rights and revenue.
The Odisha Assembly was adjourned twice on September 28, 2026, after Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress lawmakers staged walkouts and entered the well of the House. The legislators labeled the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, as anti-Odisha and anti-tribal.
Naveen Patnaik, BJD President and Leader of Opposition, led a massive demonstration in Bhubaneswar demanding the repeal of the legislation. Patnaik argued that the law, passed by Parliament in August, restricts the state's power to levy taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands. He claimed this would result in annual revenue losses of thousands of crores of rupees, with some opposition estimates exceeding Rs 1 lakh crore. Patnaik criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for passing the bill without discussion and accused Odisha's 20 BJP MPs of remaining silent during the process.
In response, the ruling BJP asserted that the state would gain from the amendment. Steel and Mines Minister B B Jena stated that while the government has not yet assessed the financial impact, Odisha's interests would be protected. The Ministry of Mines maintained that the law does not strip states of land rights or taxing powers.
Patnaik vowed to fight the act to protect the rights of future generations, and BJD leaders announced plans to expand protests to the district level and block the transportation of minerals from mines.
