BJD Calls MMDR Act Amendment a ‘Black Day’ for Odisha
Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) staged a massive protest outside Raj Bhavan against the recent amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act).
Party leaders accused the Central Government of stripping Odisha of its mineral rights and financial autonomy, calling the move “anti‑Odisha.”
Led by BJD President Naveen Patnaik, the rally saw senior leaders submit a memorandum to the Governor for onward transmission to the President of India.
Patnaik described the passage of the amendment bill as a “black day” for Odisha, stressing that the Supreme Court had earlier recognised states’ rights to tax mineral‑bearing lands.
According to him, Odisha stood to recover over ₹1 lakh crore in dues and generate nearly ₹12,000 crore annually, but the new amendment overrides this entitlement.
The BJD also criticised the BJP government in Odisha for remaining silent on the issue and demanded an emergency assembly session.
Leaders including Debi Prasad Mishra, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Sanjay Das Burma, Ashok Chandra Panda, and Pranab Prakash Das were among those spearheading the rally.
