BJP's Sambit Patra stirs controversy: Refers Lord Jagannath as Modi's devotee | WATCH

A prominent figure in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the party's candidate for the Puri Lok Sabha seat, Sambit Patra found himself embroiled in controversy following a slip of the tongue during a public address. In a video that quickly went viral, Patra was heard referring to Lord Jagannath as a devotee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This statement sparked outrage and drew sharp criticism from various quarters.

Sambit Patra's controversial statement arose during his remarks following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshow in the temple city of Puri on Monday.

PM Modi's roadshow

The Prime Minister's visit to Puri commenced around 7:30 AM on Monday, as he traveled from Bhubaneswar. Upon his arrival, PM Modi visited the Jagannath Temple, where he offered prayers to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra. Following the temple visit, PM Modi initiated a roadshow alongside Sambit Patra, who is contesting from the Puri constituency on behalf of the BJP.

After the roadshow, Patra stated that Lord Jagannath, the principal deity of Puri, is a devotee of Modi.

Here's what he said:

BJP leader Sambit Patra says Lord Jagannath is a bhakt of Modi.

If this is a slip of tongue, then he should come out and apologize immediately.

If he meant this, Every Hindu and Odiya will teach him a strong lesson.

This is beyond shameful. pic.twitter.com/QBz05oCcmd

— Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRaii) May 20, 2024

Naveen Patnaik lashes out at Patra

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condemned the statement, asserting that Lord Jagannath, revered as Mahaprabhu, holds the highest significance in Odia culture. Patnaik emphasized that Patra's comment had deeply offended the sentiments of millions of devotees.

Patra's clarification

He apologized after the video spread. On his X account, he wrote: Naveen Ji Namaskar! Today, during media interactions after Shri Narendra Modiji’s Road Show in Puri, I mentioned Modi ji's devotion to Shri Jagannath Mahaprabhu. Unfortunately, I misspoke, and I understand this was an unintentional error. Let's not make a fuss over a slip of the tongue. 

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

What has Arvind Kejriwal said?

Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal condemned Patra's statement, denouncing it as an insult to God. He accused the BJP of displaying arrogance by placing themselves above divine figures.

The Congress party also joined the chorus of criticism, lambasting Patra for his remark. They demanded an apology from both Patra and Prime Minister Modi, asserting that such statements undermine the faith of devotees.

Lord Jagannath's significance

In Hinduism, Jagannath holds the position of the supreme god, known as Purushottama and Para Brahman. Among Vaishnava Hindus, especially the followers of Krishna, Jagannath symbolizes Krishna in an abstract form, often regarded as an incarnation of Vishnu.