Why the INDIA Bloc Called an Odisha Bandh on October 8
The INDIA bloc announced an Odisha bandh on October 8 demanding the repeal of the new MMDR Amendment Act and addressing governance issues. Alliance partners, including Congress and Left parties, staged a protest near Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s residence in Bhubaneswar after the Assembly adjourned sine die, while the BJP criticised the planned shutdown.
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The opposition INDIA bloc on Tuesday, September 29, announced an Odisha bandh on October 8 to demand the repeal of the new mining law and two other issues, as members of the alliance staged a demonstration near Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s residence here. The statewide shutdown call marks a significant escalation in the opposition's campaign over the amended mining framework, resource rights, and state-level governance concerns following the conclusion of the state legislative session.
Hundreds of workers and leaders of bloc partners such as the Congress, CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, Forward Bloc, NCP, Samajwadi Party and RJD took part in the rally. The protesters had earlier planned to gherao the Assembly but shifted their focus to the chief minister’s residence after the Monsoon Session was adjourned sine die a day earlier. Bhubaneswar Latest News Today on September 29th, 2026: Cab Protest Aftermath, BJD Rally & Assembly Adjourns.
Demands to Repeal MMDR Amendment and Protect Resource Autonomy
The primary trigger for the October 8 bandh is opposition to the central mining reforms, which alliance members allege dilute the state's control over its mineral reserves and reduce revenues, PTI reported. Left and Congress leaders argued that central statutory revisions undermine federal principles by curbing state discretion in auctioning and regulating key mineral blocks.
“The principal demands of the protest are repeal of the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026, protection of Odisha's mineral rights and financial autonomy, and safeguarding the state's mineral resources from corporate plunder,” CPI(M) Odisha state secretary Suresh Chandra Panigrahy said.
Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Bhakta Charan Das announced the bandh after party cadres and alliance partners marched through state capital routes before converging on Lower PMG and the chief minister’s residential enclave.
Opposition Cites Textbook Row and Governance Concerns
Beyond the central mining legislation, the alliance linked the shutdown call to two other regional and administrative issues. Among the primary grievances raised during the agitation was a demand addressing severe errors reported in state school textbooks, with opposition leaders seeking the resignation of School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond.
The alliance also registered protests over wider administrative decisions and the conduct of institutional processes, declaring that the October 8 statewide strike will halt transport and commercial operations to register public discontent.
Ruling BJP Criticises Agitation as Habitual Obstruction
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed the bandh call, asserting that the opposition is attempting to derail mineral reforms that bring transparency and competitive bidding to the sector.
State BJP president Manmohan Samal criticised the Congress, alleging that the party had a habit of opposing government initiatives. “They were opposing GST, mining reforms also. The Congress has lost its identity among the people,” Samal said.
BJP general secretary Biranchi Narayan Tripathy also attacked the Congress, stating that the reforms ensure regular royalty inflows and eliminate discretionary lease allocations. With the October 8 deadline set, security authorities across Bhubaneswar and district headquarters are preparing measures to ensure essential services remain uninterrupted during the planned shutdown.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 29, 2026 04:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
