Naveen Patnaik leads Odisha Assembly protest, urges united front against MMDR Act

Biju Janata Dal president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik led a large demonstration outside the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Monday, calling on his party cadre and rival political formations alike to prevent the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act 2026 from being implemented in the state.

Addressing the gathering as Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Patnaik said the legislation was no ordinary bill because it touched on the rights of the state, and asserted that the people of Odisha are the rightful owners of its mines and land. He criticised the manner in which the amendment was passed in Parliament, saying it went through without discussion, and asked why the state's 20 BJP MPs had stayed silent on the matter.

Mr. Patnaik also turned his attention to the state government, asking why it had not spoken up. He said he had written to the Chief Minister seeking a special session of the Assembly and had followed it up with a second letter urging a resolution opposing the amendment, but received no response either time. He claimed the law would cost Odisha thousands of crores of rupees every year and accused the government of remaining quiet when the state's interests were at stake.

Describing no political party as greater than the land itself, he warned that any betrayal of Odisha would invite lasting condemnation, and said younger generations and the people of the state would not forgive those responsible. He pledged to keep fighting for Odisha's rights and appealed to all parties to join the struggle and resolve not to allow the amendment to take effect in the state.

Sujata Rout, a former IAS officer recently inducted into the BJD and the wife of V.K. Pandian, a close aide of Mr. Patnaik, also spoke. She argued that revenue from the mineral sector could have financed irrigation, education, farmer welfare and infrastructure, and said the state could have advanced by a decade had those funds been retained. She accused the BJP's MPs of giving away money that was within reach by backing the bill in Parliament.

Ms. Rout further alleged that the amendment showed the state BJP takes its directions from the central leadership, and disputed claims that mineral earnings had risen under the BJP. She attributed the jump in mining revenue from ₹5,000 crore to ₹50,000 crore to Mr. Patnaik's leadership, saying Odisha gained the most among mineral-bearing states when the sector was opened to auction.

BJD leaders said the opposition to the amendment would be taken to the district level, with plans to halt the transportation of minerals from mines. INDIA bloc leaders have separately called for another large demonstration in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.