Bhubaneswar: BJP Puri MP Candidate Sambit Patra’s statement: “Lord Jagannath is a bhakt of PM Narendra Modi”, landed him in a controversy, drawing condemnation from Odisha Chief Minister & BJD Supremo Naveen Patnaik.
Condemning Patra’s remark, Cm Naveen said: “Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannatha is the Lord of Universe. Calling Mahaprabhu a bhakt of another human being is an insult to the Lord. This has hurt the sentiments and demeaned the faith of crores of Jagannatha bhaktas and Odias across the world.
The Lord is the greatest Symbol of Odia Asmita. Calling Mahaprabhu a bhakt of another human being is totally condemnable.I strongly denounce the statement made by the BJP Puri Lok Sabha candidate and I appeal to the BJP to keep the Lord above any political discourse. By this you have deeply hurt Odia Asmita and this will be remembered and condemned by people of Odisha for a very long time”, Naveen wrote on his ‘X’ handle.
Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannatha is the Lord of Universe.
Calling Mahaprabhu a bhakt of another human being is an insult to the Lord. This has hurt the sentiments and demeaned the faith of crores of Jagannatha bhaktas and Odias across the world.
The Lord is the greatest Symbol of…
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) May 20, 2024
After the Odisha CM strongly condemned Patra’s remark, the latter clarified that it was a slip of tongue and urged Patnaik not to make an issue out of a nonexistent issue.
Naveen Ji Namaskar!
I gave number of bytes today to multiple media channels after the massive success of Shri Narendra Modiji’s Road Show in Puri today, everywhere I mentioned that Modi ji is an ardent “Bhakt” of Shri Jagannath Mahaprabhu ..by mistake during one of the bytes I… https://t.co/6Q1Kuj5E6O— Sambit Patra (Modi Ka Parivar) (@sambitswaraj) May 20, 2024
Also, Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh demanded that Patra should be immediately disqualified.
What an outrageous statement by the BJP’s Puri candidate saying that Lord Jagannath is a bhakt of Mr. Modi. He should be immediately disqualified! pic.twitter.com/VETHdVfku1
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) May 20, 2024
Also, Odisha PCC Chief Sarat Patnaik slammed the BJP for the same and demanded an apology.
Using our revered Lord Jagannath as a political pawn is disgraceful. BJP’s Sambit Patra’s statement is an insult to our culture and faith. Religion should never be exploited for political gains. Shame on those who reduce our sacred beliefs to mere vote-bank strategies.… pic.twitter.com/ZQk7voclJm
— Sarat Patnaik (@SaratPatINC) May 20, 2024
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also joined Patnaik in condemning Patra’s remarks which he claimed was the “statement of BJP”.
Reposting Odisha CM’s post, Kejriwal wrote on his ‘X’ handle:-
I strongly condemn this statement of BJP. They have started thinking that they are above God. This is height of arrogance. Calling God bhakt of Modi ji is an insult to God. https://t.co/cOP23BpOqh
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 20, 2024
The senior BJP leader’s statement that “Lord Jagannath is a devotee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi” has sparked a major controversy amid the simultaneous elections.
