Sambit Patra's Controversial Comment on Lord Jagannath Sparks Political Fury, What's His Next Move?
Sambit Patra: Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshow in Puri, Odisha, yesterday, Sambit Patra, the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, claimed he made a “slip of the tongue” when he referred to Lord Jagannath as a follower of the PM.
Patra's Remark Sparks Controversy
This has put him in the center of a political firestorm. The remark on Lord Jagannath, a highly esteemed deity in the historic town, has sparked a heated response from the political adversaries of the Bharatiya Janata Dal (BJD), led by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
In order to make up for the error, Sambit Patra has now declared a month of “upvaas” (fasting). He alludes to the intense heat and cacophony that followed PM Modi's roadshow in his explanation. Patra claimed that although he meant to emphasize PM Modi's adoration for Lord Jagannath, he mentioned in error that “Jagannath is Modi's devotee.” The remark was caught on camera and caused indignation right away from a number of sources.
Controversial Statement
“Today, a statement made by me had created a controversy. After PM Narendra Modi's roadshow in Puri, I gave byte to many media channels and everywhere I said the same thing, that PM Narendra Modi is an ardent devotee of Mahaprabhu Jagannath,” Patra said.
He said, “In the end, when another channel took my byte, it was extremely hot, crowded and noisy. Unknowingly, while giving the byte, I said the opposite, that Mahaprabhu is a devotee of PM Narendra Modi. This can never be true, and a person in his senses can never say such things that god is a devotee of a human.”
“I have made this mistake unintentionally. I know some people must have been hurt but even God forgives mistakes made unintentionally… I need to seek forgiveness from Mahaprabhu Jagannath for this slip of the tongue and I have decided to do a 'upvaas',” Patra said.
CM Naveen Patnaik Denounces Patra's Statement
Naveen Patnaik's response was incisive and quick. In a harsh social media post, the Chief Minister of Odisha denounced Patra's speech, claiming that it was offensive to the sanctity of 'Mahaprabhu' Jagannath and harmed the feelings of millions of devotees. Other opposition leaders agreed with him when he advised the BJP to desist from bringing the god into political debate.
“Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannatha is the Lord of the Universe. Calling Mahaprabhu a devotee of another human being is an insult to the Lord. This has hurt the sentiments and demeaned the faith of crores of Jagannatha devotees and Odias across the world,” Patnaik wrote.
Social Media Responses
Patra moved to social media to rephrase his statement in the midst of the growing criticism. He clarified that it was an unintentional slip of the tongue caused by the pressure of the situation.
“I gave a number of bytes today to multiple media channels…by mistake during one of the bytes I pronounced just the opposite. I know you also know and understand this. Sir, let's not make an issue out of a nonexistent issue. We all have a slip of the tongue sometimes,” Patra wrote directly to Chief Minister Patnaik.
Formal Complaint Against Patra's Apology
Patra apologized, but opposition parties would not back down. In a formal complaint, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) claimed that Patra's remarks were an intentional attempt to offend religious feelings. Calling for harsh action, they accused him of breaking the model code of conduct.
Controversy Surrounding Patra's Blunder
As Odisha enters a pivotal stage of the polls, this controversy is developing, with Patra's blunder possibly impacting voter opinion. The BJP now has to deal with the aftermath from this occurrence, which is a difficulty given its goal of making major gains in the state.
