Bhubaneswar: Puri Lok sabha candidate Sambit Patra, who has invited flak from all and sundry for calling Lord Jagannath an ardent devotee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday asked for forgiveness for the mistake committed by him.
Patra issued a clarification in this regard saying that he was apologetic for his ‘slip of the tongue’, and that he would offer penance in the name of Lord Jagannath as an apology.
While giving bytes to an electronic media after Modi’s roadshow in Puri, Patra had stated, “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.”
This statement made by Patra, however, created uproar in the state with leaders cutting across the party lines came down heavily on Patra for hurting the sentiments of Jagannath admirers across the world.
After receiving flak from all and sundry, the BJP leader took to Twitter and begged forgiveness through a video message. He said, “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 further said, “ 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,”
Notably, apart from BJD Supremo Naveen Patnaik, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal also criticised Patra, calling his remark an “insult to God”.
“I strongly condemn this statement of the BJP. They have started thinking that they are above God. This is the height of arrogance. Calling God bhakt of Modi ji is an insult to God,” he said.
