Defend the Centre or defend Odisha. BJP’s Rs 12,000-crore dilemma

The letter reveals the crux of the controversy for states like Odisha, whose economy and politics are deeply intertwined with mining. 13 min readBhubaneswarSep 11, 2026 04:40 PM IST First published on: Sep 10, 2026 at 07:10 AM IST In a scathing letter to the Odisha MPs from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on August 28, former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik tore into the recent amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, calling the day it was passed “a black day for Odisha”. “The Bill was passed with less than 10 minutes of discussion in the Lok Sabha, despite having provisions with far-reaching implications for the people of Odisha,” the letter said. “This was not an ordinary piece of legislation. Odisha undoubtedly will be the worst affected by this legislation.”