Bhubaneswar, Aug. 29 -- BJD president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik has launched a sharp attack on Odisha's BJP MPs for backing the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, accusing them of failing to protect the state's interests in Parliament.
In a strongly worded letter to the BJP MPs, Patnaik termed the passage of the Bill in the Lok Sabha on August 13 a "black day for Odisha" and questioned their decision to support legislation that, he claimed, would have serious financial and administrative implications for the mineral-rich State.
"Parliament is the highest temple of Indian democracy. As Members of Parliament, you are the voice of Odisha," Patnaik said, reminding the MPs that they had been ele...