New Delhi: During an election rally in Odissa’s coastal district of Puri, BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate Sambit Patra has created a fresh stir by calling Lord Jagannath “Modi’s bhakt”. Speaking to Kanak News, a local channel after attending the road show with Modinkara Puri Patra said: ” Modinkara bhakta Jagannath; au ame Sabu hauchu Modinka parivarjana (Lord Jagannath is Modi’s bhakt and we all are members of Modi’s family). It was unbelievable and I cannot hold myself…after some incredible moments”. I can say it’s a special day for all Odia people. ”
Biju Janata Dal chief minister Naveen Patnaik – calling Mahaprabhu (Lord Jagannath) a bhakt of a human being – a great insult – X On 7. This pained the hearts and devalued the beliefs of millions of devotees and Oriyas around the world. Lord is definitely the greatest representation of Odia Asmita. To establish that Mahaprabhu was a bhakt of another human being is worthy of condemnation. ”
I am particularly against the statement made by the Puri Lok Sabha candidate of BJP, and I appeal to the BJP to refrain from bringing the Lord in their politics, because in this way you have hurt the dignity of Odia people and this will take its toll for a very long time in Odisha,” continued.
Odia asmita has been provided by BJP as a political campaign in this election.
The Congress party also held Patra and asked him to apologize. They have started thinking that they are above GOD -Kejriwal of AAP. This is the height of egoism. Labeling God as a bhakt of Modi ji dishonors God. ”
आज महाप्रभु श्री जगन्नाथ जी को लेकर मुझसे जो भूल हुई है, उस विषय को लेकर मेरा अंतर्मन अत्यंत पीड़ित है।
मैं महाप्रभु श्री जगन्नाथ जी के चरणों में शीश झुकाकर क्षमा याचना करता हूँ। अपने इस भूल सुधार और पश्चाताप के लिए अगले 3 दिन मैं उपवास पर रहूँगा।
जय जगन्नाथ। 🙏
ଆଜି ଶ୍ରୀ… pic.twitter.com/rKavOxMjIq
— Sambit Patra (Modi Ka Parivar) (@sambitswaraj) May 20, 2024
Patra received a lot of criticism after the comment and released a video on X where he claimed he said that he was being burnt by the heat. He also said he would fast to make up for his error: ‘I made a comment today which has come to give rise to controversy- after PM Narendra Modi’s roadshow in Puri I gave an interview to a number of channels and every channel I stuck to the same thing – PM Narendra Modi is a devotee of the Acharya Mahaprabhu Jagannath and so on and so forth. Inadvertently I said the very opposite while saying the byte that Mahaprabhu is a servant of PM Narendra Modi.
This can never be true and no sane person can make such a statement that god is a devotee of a human being. This is a mistake that I have committed unconsciously. I am aware some people may have been offended but as God also forgives unintentional errors I want to seek forgiveness from Mahaprabhu Jagannath for this blunder and I have decided to do an upvaas (fast). ”
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