Bhubaneswar: The political row over the MMDR Bill (Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, intensified on Saturday with the Odisha Congress demanding a special session of the state Assembly to discuss the issue.
The demand comes amid sharp differences between the Congress and the BJP over the financial implications of the bill, which was passed in Parliament recently.
The Congress move comes close on the heels of similar demand made by BJD president and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Naveen Patnaik, who also called for a united fight against the MMDR Amendment Bill.
A Congress delegation led by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam met Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati at Lok Bhavan and sought a special Assembly session to deliberate on the Bill.
Mounting a scathing attack on the Centre over the bill, Congress leaders termed the new measure as a ‘dark law’ as it seeks to restrict the state’s powers to levy taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands.
CLP leader Kadam said Congress strongly opposes the amendments made by the government to the mining law. The changes could result in Odisha losing around Rs one lakh crore, he claimed, adding that the state is set to suffer an annual financial loss of around Rs 20,000 crore because of the amendments.
The Congress has therefore sought a detailed discussion in the Assembly, arguing that the financial interests of the state need to be protected.
The Congress memorandum also claimed that the fate of millions of citizens, tribal communities stands severely threatened by the amendments.
“This newly passed central legislation, which we rightfully designate as a ‘Dark Act,’ strikes at the very foundation of cooperative federalism. It completely bypasses state-level legislative competence and strips the fiscal autonomy and the constitutional protections away from the people of our state,” it stated.
The delegation urged the Governor to intervene in the matter to safeguard the State’s federal rights.
By consolidating mineral allocation, revenue control, and lease renewals into federal hands, it reduces the state government to a passive spectator, it stated.
Rejecting the Congress claims, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) maintained that the MMDR law will not cause any financial loss to Odisha. BJP leaders claimed that the state and the common people will instead benefit more from the state’s mineral resources.
