Overview
- Opposition Biju Janata Dal and Congress repeatedly disrupted proceedings in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, forcing at least two adjournments and a walkout that moved protesters to a mass rally outside the building.
- BJD has appealed for public mobilisation and led the rally to demand repeal of the MMDR Amendment Act, arguing the law strips the state of control over mines and mineral-bearing land.
- BJD leaders cite a July 25, 2024 Supreme Court order and say the change destroys an opportunity to recover roughly Rs 1 lakh crore in arrears and as much as Rs 12,000 crore in additional annual revenue.
- Ruling BJP lawmakers reject the opposition’s loss estimates while Odisha’s Steel and Mines Minister says the state has not completed an assessment of gains or losses but vowed to protect Odisha’s interests.
- The dispute highlights a wider federal tension because the MMDR Amendment narrows state taxation over mineral rights, a shift that could reduce state revenue and trigger further protests such as the planned statewide agitation and Assembly gherao by the INDIA bloc.