Former IAS officer joins BJD’s first major mass mobilisation after entering politics; mineral revenue and Odisha’s rights dominate her address
GTNS | BHUBANESWAR | SEPTEMBER 28, 2026The political battle over the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026 moved onto the streets of Bhubaneswar on Monday, with the Biju Janata Dal holding a major demonstration at Lower PMG and party leader Sujata Rout Karthikeyan making a forceful intervention on the mineral-rights debate.For Sujata, the gathering also marked an important political appearance. After formally joining the BJD in June, the former IAS officer participated in the party’s major mass mobilisation against the MMDR amendments and directly targeted the BJP over what she described as the handling of Odisha’s mineral interests.Sujata turns the MMDR debate into a question of Odisha’s rightsAddressing the gathering, Sujata argued that Odisha’s mineral resources have a direct connection with the state’s future economic strength.She said revenue generated from the mineral sector could support irrigation, education, farmers’ welfare and infrastructure, and argued that the state could have achieved faster development if greater mineral-linked revenue had remained available to Odisha.She also criticised the BJP over the role of its MPs during the parliamentary consideration of the MMDR Amendment Act. Sujata specifically questioned why Odisha’s BJP MPs, according to her, did not put the state’s concerns more forcefully before Parliament.‘Who is standing with Odisha?’Sujata’s political attack centred on a basic question: who will defend Odisha’s interests when legislation concerning the state’s mineral resources is debated at the national level?She argued that Odisha’s natural resources should be viewed through the interests of the people of the state and future generations.The BJD leader has previously alleged that the MMDR amendment could weaken the state’s taxation powers over mineral resources. She linked her argument to the Supreme Court’s July 2024 nine-judge Constitution Bench judgment, which recognised the power of states to tax mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands.BJP’s position remains sharply differentThe BJP has rejected the BJD’s interpretation of the issue.BJP MP Anita Subhadarshini has defended the MMDR amendments, saying the legislation is intended to promote transparent utilisation of natural resources, state revenue, industrial growth, employment and public welfare. BJP leaders have also pointed to the increase in Odisha’s mining-related revenue and the auction-based allocation system while challenging the BJD’s claims.That political disagreement now sits at the centre of the MMDR confrontation.From Assembly floor to Lower PMGThe street mobilisation follows repeated Opposition protests inside the Odisha Assembly over the legislation. The BJD has announced that its campaign will be expanded beyond Bhubaneswar, turning the MMDR question into a broader statewide political movement.At Lower PMG, Sujata’s intervention gave the campaign another prominent voice. Her background as a former civil servant, combined with her recent entry into active BJD politics, added a distinct administrative and policy-oriented dimension to the party’s public argument.The larger political question emerging from the protest is no longer limited to the technical provisions of the MMDR law. It now encompasses Odisha’s mineral wealth, state revenue, taxation powers and the relationship between the Centre and the mineral-producing state.For the BJD, the message from Lower PMG was clear: the party intends to keep the issue alive on the streets and frame it as a question of Odisha’s economic interests and constitutional rights.
28 SEPTEMBER 2026, GTNS | BHUBANESWAR