Bhubaneswar, September 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president, Bhakta Charan Das, on Tuesday announced a statewide bandh on October 8 by political parties of the INDIA bloc to press for several demands, including the repeal of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, the resignation of Odisha School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, and the resignation and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Addressing the media, Das said the INDIA bloc was protesting over three key demands: the repeal of the MMDR Amendment Act, action against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral process, and the resignation of Odisha’s School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond.
Das said the INDIA bloc had planned to gherao the Odisha Assembly on Tuesday. He alleged that the state government, apprehending the protest, adjourned the Assembly session sine die, although it was scheduled to continue until October 3.
Announcing an escalation of the agitation, Das said Odisha would observe a complete shutdown on October 8, from the state capital Bhubaneswar to villages across the state. He added that thousands of workers from INDIA bloc parties would court arrest as part of the protest.
Earlier on Tuesday, INDIA bloc parties, led by the Odisha Congress, organised a massive protest rally, titled Parivartan Rally, in Bhubaneswar. The demonstration focused on the repeal of the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026, the resignation of Minister Nityananda Gond over an error in school textbooks, and the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral process.
Leaders and workers from the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) Liberation, Forward Bloc, NCP-Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party and RJD participated in the rally, with representatives arriving from different parts of the state.
Following a large protest meeting at Lower PMG, demonstrators marched towards the Chief Minister’s residence, intending to stage a gherao. Senior leaders of the Congress and other INDIA bloc parties addressed the gathering before the march.
Tension prevailed at Lower PMG after protesters clashed with police when they were stopped from proceeding further. Security personnel subsequently detained several senior INDIA bloc leaders and workers and removed them from the protest site to bring the situation under control.
Meanwhile, the opposition Biju Janata Dal also held a major protest rally in Bhubaneswar on Monday, demanding the repeal of the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026.
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