Left parties held protest programmes across Jharkhand against the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, as part of a statewide call to oppose the Centre’s move to facilitate corporate control over the state’s mineral resources. Protests were held at several places across the state, including Kundahit, Dhanbad and Ramgarh, raising the demand that the Act be withdrawn and asserting the rights of Jharkhand over its water, forests, land and mineral resources.
In Ramgarh, the Chumba-Bumri Local Committee of CPI(ML) organised a protest at Beharatand in Chumba village of Mandu block on August 30. Party workers strongly protested against the Act, burnt an effigy of Narendra Modi and burnt copies of the Act. The protesters raised slogans including, “Water, forests, land are ours,” “Jharkhand’s mineral wealth belongs first to the people of Jharkhand,” and “The people’s resources are for the people.”
Speaking at the Ramgarh programme, CPI(ML) State Committee member Bhuneswar Bedia said that while the Narendra Modi government is selling public institutions, establishments and industries one after another, it has brought the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act to enable its corporate friends to loot the vast mineral wealth of a poor state like Jharkhand without restraint. He said the Act is a betrayal of the people of Jharkhand and an assault on the state’s federal rights.
He said the Act would obstruct the development of Jharkhand and seriously affect several public welfare schemes. He demanded its immediate withdrawal and said that the people of Jharkhand would not allow the state’s mineral resources to be taken away, warning that an intensified struggle would be built against the Act.
The CPI(ML) Dhanbad District Committee also decided to intensify the movement against the Mines and Minerals Amendment Act and the four labour codes. At a special one-day meeting and seminar held at Gurudas Bhawan in Nirsa on August 31, the party discussed the political, economic and social situation in the country and the state and chalked out a strategy for struggles on issues concerning workers, farmers, youth and the wider public.
The meeting, held under the guidance of CPI(ML) Politburo member and former MLA Anand Mahato, also discussed the demand for a legal guarantee of MSP for farmers, the struggle against fascism and communalism, and strengthening the party and mass organisations. The meeting was chaired by Binda Paswan and conducted by Kartik Prasad.
They said Jharkhand, despite being one of the country’s most mineral-rich states, continues to face poverty, unemployment, displacement and migration. They stressed that the benefits of the state’s mineral wealth must first reach its people and that the party would strongly oppose any move to restrict the rights of states over mineral resources. They also demanded employment for local people, proper rehabilitation, environmental protection and regional development alongside the exploitation of natural resources.
On the four labour codes, speakers said these would affect workers’ employment security, trade union rights and collective bargaining power. The meeting decided to conduct awareness campaigns among workers in labour settlements and workplaces and build a broad movement around labour rights.
The meeting also decided to intensify the campaign for a legal guarantee of MSP, strengthen the farmers’ movement, and build broad people's unity against fascist and communal forces in defence of democratic and constitutional values.
The Dhanbad district committee decided to organise a massive procession on September 9 from the District Parishad Ground at the district headquarters against the Centre’s Mines and Minerals Amendment Act, culminating in a public meeting at Randhir Verma Chowk. It also decided to organise demonstrations at block headquarters between September 20 and 30 over rising prices and local public.
