Bhubaneswar, (Orissa Today), May 21: Sambit Patra, the Lok Sabha candidate for Puri, faced criticism after attributing devotion to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Lord Jagannath, prompting him to issue an apology on Tuesday.
In his clarification, Patra expressed regret for his unintended remark, labeling it a “slip of the tongue,” and vowed to seek forgiveness through penance in the name of Lord Jagannath.
During an interaction with electronic media following Prime Minister Modi’s roadshow in Puri, Patra remarked, “Lakhs of people have come to Puri to see Modi. Lord Jagannath is a devotee of Modi. And we all belong to Modi’s family. I cannot control my emotions. No doubt, today is a special day for every Odia.”
His statement triggered widespread outrage in the state, with leaders from various political affiliations condemning Patra for offending the sentiments of Jagannath devotees worldwide.
In response to the backlash, the BJP leader took to Twitter and released a video message seeking forgiveness. He clarified, “Today PM Narendra Modi held a huge road show in Puri which was a grand success. Following the road show, I had conversations with many media houses in which I told them PM Modi is an ardent devotee of Lord Jagannath. I said just the opposite while giving a byte to a news channel. I said Lord Jagannath is PM Modi’s devotee which is a grave mistake. Unknowingly, I uttered just the opposite. We should not say such things to Mahaprabhu even unknowingly. Even a layman understands this. I myself am a devotee of Lord Jagannath. I had made this statement unintentionally for which I bow down to him.”
He concluded by expressing, “I bow down at the feet of Mahaprabhu Sri Jagannath Ji and beg for forgiveness. I will be fasting for the next three days to correct my mistake and repent.”
