Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik on Saturday wrote a letter to Odisha BJP MPs regarding the passage of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha, labelling the day a “black day” for the state and warning of “far-reaching implications” for its people.
Patnaik, who serves as the Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly, asserted that Odisha would be the “worst affected” by the new legislation, calling it an “injustice to the children and youth” whose future is closely linked to the state’s natural resources and opportunities.
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, was passed by Parliament during the Monsoon Session, introducing provisions aimed to prevent state governments from levying uneven taxes, cesses, or additional duties on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands.
In his letter addressed to the BJP MPs, Patnaik said, “Our Parliament is the highest temple of Indian democracy. As a member of Parliament, you are the voice of Odisha in this highest forum of democracy. The people of Odisha elected you in good faith to protect and further their interests.”
“It is, therefore, a matter of utmost concern that you voted in favour of one of the most arbitrary legislations that will have far-reaching adverse implications for the people of Odisha who put their trust in you,” he said.
“August 13th, which saw the passage of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha with your support, was a black day for Odisha. The Bill was passed with less than ten minutes of discussion in the Lok Sabha, despite having provisions with far-reaching implications for the people of Odisha,” Patnaik added.
The former Chief Minister underscored that Odisha has historically supplied nearly 44 per cent of India’s total mineral production, playing a foundational role in driving the nation’s steel, energy, mining, and infrastructure sectors.
“This was not an ordinary piece of legislation. Odisha undoubtedly will be the worst affected by this legislation… India stands taller and stronger today because of the immense contribution made by Odisha and her people,” Patnaik said.
He claimed that the legislation would lead to an annual revenue loss of more than Rs 12,000 crore for Odisha, cumulative losses that could accumulate into lakhs of crores over time.
“But the bigger loss is that in a single legislative stroke the control over our own minerals and our mineral-bearing lands was taken away from us. And this happened under your watch,” he added.
He further claimed the MMDR Act represented an “injustice to the children and youth of Odisha, whose future is linked to the resources and opportunities of this State”.
“It is an injustice to the people of Odisha who bear the pollution, displacement, environmental degradation and the hazards and hardships of mining,” he said.
He further said the legislation was also an injustice to Odisha’s aspiration of becoming an empowered state capable of determining its own future using its resources.
“And, above all, it is an injustice to the dream of an empowered Odisha that has the confidence and resources to determine its own future. I earnestly appeal to you to listen to your conscience and think about the future generations of Odisha,” Patnaik said.
Appealing Hon’ble BJP MPs of #Odisha to challenge and call for a reversal of the amendment made in the #MMDR Act that takes away the powers of the Odisha Govt. Our Parliament is the highest temple of Indian democracy. As a member of Parliament, you are the voice of Odisha in this… pic.twitter.com/CPtGoFi1CL
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) August 29, 2026
“I appeal to you to challenge and call for a reversal of the amendment made in the MMDR Act that takes away the powers of the state government,” he added.
Invoking history, Patnaik appealed the MPs to reconsider their position and stand up for the interests of the state.
“History remembers and honours those who raise their voice when injustice is done to their people and its resources. History will judge you not by the party you stood with, but by whether you stood up for Odisha when it mattered most,” he further said.
“You are standing at a historic juncture with a choice to stand and fight for the state and the people who sent you to the Lok Sabha with a mandate to protect their interests. I leave it to your judgment,” Patnaik added.
