The Odisha Legislative Assembly's Monsoon session was disrupted on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, as members of the Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress stormed the Well of the House, raising slogans against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government over two contentious issues: the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act and alleged errors in state school textbooks. The session was adjourned twice within hours of commencing, underscoring the sharp political fault lines that have emerged in Odisha since the BJP came to power.

Session Opens With Condolence Motion

Proceedings began on a sombre note, with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi moving a condolence motion in memory of six former members of the House who passed away recently, as well as more than 1,000 people who lost their lives in a recent tragedy in Nepal. The motion was seconded by Leader of Opposition and BJD President Naveen Patnaik, Congress Legislative Party (CLP) Leader Rama Chandra Kadam, and the CPI-M legislature party leader, among others.

Speaker Surama Padhy conveyed the House's sympathies to the bereaved families, and members observed a one-minute silence in memory of the departed. The brief moment of unity, however, did not last beyond the start of Question Hour.

Opposition Storms the Well Over Two Key Issues

As soon as Question Hour commenced, Opposition members carrying banners and placards surged toward the Speaker's podium, raising anti-government slogans. The protest centred on two distinct but equally charged demands.

Congress MLAs demanded the immediate repeal of the MMDR Amendment Act, with Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhakta Charan Das alleging that the legislation had caused a significant financial loss to the state. Das said the Congress would sustain its Assembly protest until the Act is struck down.

BJD legislators, meanwhile, demanded the resignation of School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond over errors found in state school textbooks, alleging that the government had failed to act for six months and was now making cosmetic corrections only because the Assembly was in session.

Opposition Chief Whip Calls Out Government Inaction

Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik told reporters that the state government had been 'playing with the future of children.' She alleged that the authorities had distributed corrected textbooks in select areas only ahead of the session, to deflect accountability.

'We have placed our demand, and if the state government agrees to it, we will allow the House to function. Let the government first agree to our demand and ensure that School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond resign for playing with the future of the children. We have been demanding the resignation of the Minister. If the government ensures the recovery of the additional amount spent from the public exchequer on the publication of new textbooks, we will call off our protest,' Mallik said.

Beyond the Assembly, BJD leaders joined street protests by the party's students' and youth wings at Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar, demanding the minister's resignation — a sign that the party is taking the issue beyond legislative chambers.

House Adjourned Twice; BJP Defends Government

Speaker Padhy first appealed to the protesting members to return to their seats and allow Question Hour to proceed, but the plea went unheeded. She adjourned the House till 1:10 pm. When the session reconvened, the Opposition maintained its agitation, forcing a second adjournment till 4 pm.

BJP MLA Tankadhar Tripathy defended the government's posture, saying the administration was 'ready for every kind of discussion in the Assembly and is prepared to give answers.' He added that the Speaker would determine under which rule each issue would be taken up, and urged members to trust the process. Tripathy also alleged that disrupting proceedings without allowing debate was 'not in the interest of democracy.'

What's Next for the Session

The Monsoon session has several pieces of legislation and questions on the agenda, but with the Opposition showing no signs of relenting on either the MMDR Act or the textbook controversy, further disruptions are likely. The government has not publicly committed to any inquiry or recovery of the alleged excess expenditure on reprinted textbooks, and the Congress has made repeal of the MMDR Amendment Act a non-negotiable condition. How Speaker Padhy navigates these dual flashpoints will shape the productivity of the rest of the session.