Banna Gupta Says Centre’s Mining Bill Undermines Jharkhand’s Rights
Key Points:
- Congress holds sit-in at deputy commissioner’s office in Jamshedpur
- Party leaders demand action against rising temple offering thefts
- Banna Gupta calls MMDR amendment bill a threat to state rights
JAMSHEDPUR – The district Congress committee staged a sit-in protest outside the deputy commissioner’s office on Thursday, raising several public-interest issues on the call of the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee.
District president Parvinder Singh presided over the demonstration. Former Jharkhand minister Banna Gupta, district in-charge Shashibhushan Rai and several senior Congress leaders took part in the protest and addressed party workers.
During the demonstration, leaders expressed concern over rising incidents of theft of temple offerings across the state and demanded strict action against those responsible. They also opposed the MMDR (Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, calling it detrimental to Jharkhand’s interests.
Speakers at the event said the bill would weaken the rights of states and went against the spirit of the country’s federal structure. They argued that such central legislation directly affected the interests of mineral-rich states like Jharkhand.
Banna Gupta said Jharkhand was a state rich in mineral wealth and that the state and its people had the first right over its natural resources. He alleged that the central government’s policies were interfering with the rights of states, which could hurt Jharkhand’s economic interests.
Meanwhile, district in-charge Shashibhushan Rai said the Congress party would continue to fight for the protection of the state’s rights over its water, forests, land and mineral resources. He urged party workers to take these public-interest issues to the people.
During the sit-in, Congress leaders and workers raised slogans against the central government and demanded the protection of Jharkhand’s rights. A large number of party workers and office-bearers were present at the event.
The protest in Jamshedpur comes amid a broader statewide agitation over the mining legislation. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has separately staged a protest against the same amendment, while party workers in Giridih also took to the streets in opposition to the bill.
Besides the mining legislation, state politics has also been dominated in recent days by disputes over recruitment examinations. The Jharkhand High Court recently stayed the cancellation of JPSC and JSSC exams, a matter that has drawn sharp reactions from opposition parties in the state.
Congress workers have also been active on other fronts this month, including marking Rajiv Gandhi’s 82nd birth anniversary in Gamharia. Separately, state BJP leaders have attacked the state government over a student clash in Giridih.
