Bhubaneswar: The opposition BJD Wednesday staged a demonstration against the MMDR Amendment Act near the Lok Bhavan in Bhubaneswar and sought President Droupadi Murmu’s intervention to safeguard Odisha’s financial interests and the country’s federal structure.
A party delegation later met Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati and submitted a memorandum addressed to the President.
In the memorandum, the BJD said Odisha had contributed immensely to India’s industrial and economic growth through its mineral wealth and was therefore entitled to a legitimate share of the benefits arising from its natural resources.
“The issue before us concerns not merely a particular financial entitlement but the broader principles of constitutional federalism, fiscal autonomy, protection of state interests and the right of Odisha to benefit from its natural wealth,” it said.
The party urged the president to take immediate steps to ensure that the “legitimate constitutional and financial rights” of Odisha were protected.
ଏ ମାଟି ଆମର – ଏ ଖଣି ଆମର, ସଂଶୋଧିତ ଏମଏମଡିଆର ଆଇନ ତୁରନ୍ତ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟାହାର କର।
ଓଡ଼ିଶାବାସୀଙ୍କ ସ୍ଵାର୍ଥ ସହ ସାଲିସ କରାଯିବ ନାହିଁ।
ବିଧାନସଭାର ସ୍ଵତନ୍ତ୍ର ଅଧିବେଶନ ଡାକିବା ପାଇଁ ଦାବି କରିବା ସହ ରାଜ୍ୟପାଳଙ୍କୁ ଭେଟି ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରପତିଙ୍କ ଉଦ୍ଦେଶ୍ୟରେ ସ୍ମାରକପତ୍ର ଦେଇଛି ବିଜୁ ଜନତା ଦଳ।#MMDRBill2026 #OdiaAsmita… pic.twitter.com/76WVYP9OhW
— Biju Janata Dal (@bjd_odisha) September 9, 2026
The BJD said Odisha’s reserves of iron ore, coal, bauxite, chromite and other minerals constituted a major component of its natural wealth and an important source of state revenue.
“Any legislative measure that substantially curtails the rights and financial interests of the State in relation to mines and mineral-bearing lands therefore has far-reaching consequences for Odisha and deserves careful constitutional and legal examination,” it said.
The party cited the July 25, 2024 judgment of a nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, which recognised the power of state governments to impose taxes and levies on mines and mineral-bearing lands and also dealt with recovery of such dues from April 1, 2005.
Based on the judgment, Odisha became entitled to receive more than Rs 1 lakh crore in arrears of mining-related taxes and levies, besides an estimated additional annual revenue of around Rs 12,000 crore, the BJD claimed.
The party said that the MMDR Amendment Act restricted state governments from imposing taxes, cesses or similar charges on mineral-bearing lands, and empowered the Centre to frame rules affecting such taxation.
It said that if the amendments permanently dilute states’ rights over mines and mineral-bearing lands and deprive Odisha of the arrears and future revenue recognised following the Supreme Court judgment, the issue cannot be treated as merely a matter of legislative policy.
Addressing a separate press conference, Congress Legislature Party leader Ram Chandra Kadam said his party was strongly opposed to the MMDR Amendment Act and would continue to protest against it.
BJP MLA Babu Singh, however, rejected the allegations, accusing the opposition of “misleading” people over the new mining laws.
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