Odisha Congress vows 'fearless' fight against Centre over new mining law

The Congress on Monday called for a "fearless" fight against the Centre over the new mining law that allegedly restricts states’ powers to levy taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing land parcels, and asserted that the party will ensure the 'anti-Odisha' legislation is repealed. 

While responding to a question on the possibility of a joint fight with the BJD against the amended mining law, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das said all the opposition parties have to "remove fear and fight together".

“First of all, the BJD should take this issue seriously. They have so far limited their protests to only addressing press conferences and writing letters. The Congress has organised demonstrations with the constituents of the INDIA bloc and is preparing for economic blockades and Odisha bandh,” Das said.

He also said a "fearless" fight against the BJP government will ensure "withdrawal of the amended mining law that has taken away Odisha’s rights over the mineral-bearing land". 

Parliament had, earlier this month, passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026.

Addressing a press conference here, BJD vice-president Sanjay Das Burma and its youth wing president Chinmay Sahu came down heavily on the “double-engine” BJP government for allegedly "working against the interests of the people of Odisha".

BJP general secretary Biranchi Narayan Tripathy alleged that both the BJD and the Congress have been misleading the people on the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, saying that the Act will ultimately benefit Odisha in the long run.