People in Odisha, India plan to surround the Assembly on September 29 to protest against the MMDR Act.

Bhubaneswar: The political landscape in Odisha is abuzz with the news of the Opposition INDIA bloc's decision to protest against the Mines and Minerals or MMDR Amendment Act. In a meeting held at the Congress Bhavan, the bloc leaders expressed their concerns over the new mining legislation, which they believe is detrimental to the state and its tribal communities. The meeting was attended by leaders of various parties including Congress, CPI, CPI Liberation, Forward Bloc, NCP, Samajwadi Party, and RJD.

To voice their opposition against the new law, the INDIA bloc has planned a series of events. State-level conventions will be held in Bhubaneswar on September 8, followed by similar events in mineral-rich districts such as Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Angul, and Rayagada. The highlight of their campaign will be a large public meeting in Bhubaneswar on September 29, where they plan to gherao the state Assembly.

"The decision to organize a public meeting and gherao the Assembly was unanimously taken," said CPI state secretary Suresh Panigrahy. The alliance has also resolved to not let the state's mineral resources and rights be controlled by corporations, under the BJP governments at the Centre and in Odisha. "Our aim is to use the revenue generated from mineral resources for the development and welfare of the state," said a resolution passed at the meeting.

The INDIA bloc has called for the support of its workers, supporters, labor unions, farmers, tribals, youth, women's and transport unions to join the agitation and turn it into a mass movement. The alliance has made it clear that they will not back down until their demands are met. They are demanding the repeal of the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026, and the protection of Odisha's mineral resources and state rights.

In a separate press conference, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty accused the BJP's "double-engine" government of plundering the state's mineral resources. "The BJP government's intentions are evident from the support extended by its 25 MPs for the MMDR Amendment Bill," he said. Former state minister Atanu S Nayak also criticized the BJP government for their actions, stating that they have their eyes set on the resources of mineral-rich Odisha.

"The Centre has taken control of the state's mines through the MMDR Amendment Act, causing a loss of Rs 12,000 crore in annual revenue and over Rs 1 lakh crore in outstanding taxes," he alleged. BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal, on the other hand, accused the BJD and Congress of misleading the people of Odisha. "The state will only benefit from the implementation of the new mining law, and the opposition parties are protesting for the sake of opposition," he stated.

The tension between the ruling and opposition parties is evident, with both sides accusing each other of wrongdoing. It remains to be seen how the situation unfolds and if the INDIA bloc's protests will have any impact on the MMDR Amendment Act. As one of the leading English dailies in Odisha, Orissa POST will continue to cover the developments surrounding this issue.