The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Odisha government for adjourning the monsoon session of the state assembly sine die four days ahead of its scheduled completion without facilitating a debate on the amended mining legislation, alleging that the ruling BJP was “unwilling to hold a discussion” on the critical issue.
The Naveen Patnaik-led party also resolved to intensify its agitations opposing the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, which allegedly restricts the constitutional powers of state governments to levy taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing land.
Speaking at a press conference at the BJD headquarters in Bhubaneswar, party MLA and former minister Arun Kumar Sahoo, alongside former minister Tukuni Sahoo and senior leaders, expressed gratitude to citizens for “extending overwhelming public support to the party’s statewide agitation” organised on Monday.
“The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has strongly criticised the decision of the state government to close the Odisha Legislative Assembly four days ahead of schedule without accepting the demand for a discussion on the issue of the MMDR Amendment Act,” the party said in a statement.
The statement added that the ruling BJP-led government “afraid of the massive public support for BJD’s demand to repeal the MMDR Amendment Act”, it said.
ସଂଶୋଧିତ MMDR ଆଇନ ବିଷୟରେ ବିଧାନସଭାରେ ଆଲୋଚନା ନହେବା ବୟାନ କରୁଛି ରାଜ୍ୟ ସରକାର ଭୟଭୀତ ହୋଇ ବିଧାନସଭାକୁ ଚାରି ଦିନ ଆଗରୁ ବନ୍ଦ କରିଦେଲେ।
ବିଜେଡିର ଗଣବିକ୍ଷୋଭ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକ୍ରମକୁ ବିପୁଳ ଜନସମର୍ଥନ ଦେଇଥିବାରୁ ରାଜ୍ୟବାସୀଙ୍କୁ କୃତଜ୍ଞତା ଜଣାଉଛି ବିଜୁ ଜନତା ଦଳ।
ସଂଶୋଧିତ MMDR ଆଇନର ପ୍ରତ୍ୟାହାର ଦାବିକୁ ଆହୁରି ଜୋରଦାର କରିବ ଦଳ।… pic.twitter.com/wgy8kgEFTX
— Biju Janata Dal (@bjd_odisha) September 29, 2026
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty warned that the implementation of the amended central mining law would inflict severe financial damage on Odisha’s exchequer.
“The state is poised to suffer a direct loss of Rs 1 lakh crore towards pending tax dues to be collected from the mines. Furthermore, Odisha will lose an estimated Rs 12,000 crore annually in recurring mining revenues owing to the newly introduced legislative provisions,” Mohanty claimed.
Rejecting the opposition’s charges, the ruling BJP countered that the MMDR Amendment Act will benefit the state and not cause any revenue loss.
Senior BJD legislator Arun Kumar Sahoo noted that his party had submitted a motion seeking an explicit debate in the House, but alleged that the BJP “showed zero intent to permit a discussion.”
“Scared of the public support for BJD’s demand to repeal the mining law, the state government adjourned the assembly four days ahead of schedule,” he alleged.
“It is deeply regrettable that the state assembly was denied the opportunity to deliberate on a matter of such monumental consequence, given that the MMDR Amendment Act directly impacts the financial well-being of the state,” he told reporters.
Sahoo said that the BJD would not back down on the issue and announced plans to escalate the agitation across all districts of Odisha.
Rebutting the allegations, BJP MLA Tankadhar Tripathy stated, “The treasury benches were fully prepared to discuss the matter following a notice served by the Congress, but opposition members deliberately created a ruckus to stall the proceedings. The government remains open to discussing any subject if presented in the proper parliamentary format.”
