Odisha Assembly witnesses ruckus as BJD, Cong protest over textbook errors, MMDR Amendment Act
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly continued to witness a massive uproar by members of the Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress on the second day of the Monsoon Session on Wednesday over errors in school textbooks and the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026.
As soon as the Question Hour proceedings began, the Congress and BJD legislators holding banners and placards gathered near the Speaker’s podium and started shouting anti-government slogans.
On the second day of the session, Opposition Congress members reiterated their demand for the repeal of the MMDR Amendment Act, while BJD members again demanded the resignation of School and Mass Education Minister Nityanand Gond over the errors found in school textbooks in the state.
Although Deputy Speaker Bhabani Shankar Bhoi tried to conduct the proceedings despite the pandemonium, the BJD and Congress MLAs continued their protest, forcing him to adjourn the House till 4 pm.
“None in the government is taking the moral responsibility for the lapses. With the half-yearly examinations scheduled to begin in the next 15 days, the corrected textbooks are yet to be provided to students. Therefore, the S&ME Minister should immediately resign, as the BJP has always claimed to be a party based on ideology,” said BJD MLA Sarada Prasanna Jena.
The Congress party also continued its demand for the repeal of the MMDR Amendment Act and a detailed discussion on the legislation in the House.
“We will continue our fight until the MMDR Amendment Act is repealed. Whether it is in the Assembly, Parliament or on the streets, the Congress will continue to raise the issue,” said Rama Chandra Kadam, the Congress legislature party leader.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP alleged that the Opposition parties were deliberately disrupting the House for their own political interests. The party stated that the state government is ready to hold a debate on all issues concerning the interests of the state, but the Opposition parties are avoiding debate.
BJP MLA Manas Kumar Dutta alleged that the BJD had earlier submitted a motion seeking a debate in the House as per the rules and procedures of the Assembly, which was also accepted by the Speaker.
He stated that the government was also ready to hold the debate, but BJD members, instead of participating, were deliberately disrupting the proceedings of the House to draw attention to the protest, which was organised by the regional party in Bhubaneswar, demanding Minister Gond’s resignation over the textbook error issue.