INDIA Bloc Rallies Against MMDR Act, Says Odisha’s Mineral Rights Under Threat
Bhubaneswar, Aug 25: The INDIA Bloc on Tuesday staged a massive rally and protest demonstration at Mahatma Gandhi Marg in Bhubaneswar, demanding the immediate repeal of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026 (MMDR Act, 2026).
The opposition parties alleged that the amended law would undermine Odisha’s mineral wealth, economic interests and constitutional rights, while further centralising control over the state’s natural resources.
The protest was organised as part of the Bloc’s statewide call to observe August 25 as “Statewide Resistance Day” to defend Odisha’s mineral resources, economic interests, federal rights and the interests of its people.
Hundreds of leaders, activists and supporters from constituent parties, including the Congress, CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, All India Forward Bloc, NCP-SP, Samajwadi Party and RJD, participated in the rally.
Senior Congress leader Santosh Singh Saluja, CPI(M) Odisha State Secretary Suresh Panigrahi, CPI State Assistant Secretary Jayanta Das, CPI(ML) Liberation State Secretary Yudhishthir Mohapatra, Forward Bloc State General Secretary Jyotiranjan Mohapatra and other leaders addressed the gathering.
The speakers described Odisha’s mineral resources as the collective wealth of its people and said the mineral economy played a crucial role in generating public revenue, promoting industrial development, creating employment and supporting livelihoods.
They alleged that the MMDR Amendment Act would further centralise control over mineral resources and could adversely affect Odisha’s revenue interests and role as a major mineral-producing state. They also warned that mining-dependent communities could be affected by such centralisation.
The leaders said the issue was not merely about an amendment to an existing law but concerned Odisha’s control over its natural resources and its long-term economic interests. They demanded protection of the rights of tribal communities, workers, mining-affected families and local communities in decisions concerning mineral resources.
Reiterating their demand for withdrawal of the Act, the INDIA Bloc leaders warned that the agitation would be intensified if the provisions they described as “anti-Odisha” were not withdrawn.
The Bloc has announced a state-level convention on September 9 to chalk out the next phase of the movement. It said the convention would be followed by an economic blockade and subsequently a statewide Odisha Bandh.
The leaders appealed to political parties, workers, farmers, tribal communities, youth, students, women, intellectuals, civil society organisations and other democratic forces to join the movement to safeguard Odisha’s mineral resources, economic interests and federal rights.
