Naveen Patnaik Slams Sambit Patra For Calling Lord Jagannath ‘Bhakt’ of PM Modi; BJP Leader Issues Clarification

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate from Puri Sambit Patra stroked a huge controversy after he called Lord Jagannath an ardent Bhakt (devotee) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Condemning the statement, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said that remarks made by the BJP leader is an insult to Lord Jagannath.

“Calling Mahaprabhu a bhakt of another human being is an insult to the Lord. This has hurt the sentiments and demeaned the faith of crores of Jagannatha bhaktas and Odias across the world,” Patnaik posted on X.

Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannatha is the Lord of Universe.

Calling Mahaprabhu a bhakt of another human being is an insult to the Lord. This has hurt the sentiments and demeaned the faith of crores of Jagannatha bhaktas and Odias across the world.

The Lord is the greatest Symbol of…

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) May 20, 2024

“I strongly denounce the statement made by the BJP Puri Lok Sabha candidate and I appeal to the BJP to keep the Lord above any political discourse. By this you have deeply hurt Odia Asmita and this will be remembered and condemned by people of Odisha for a very long time,” the chief minister added.

Sambit Patra, however, termed it a ‘slip of the tongue’ and urged Patnaik not to make an “issue out of a nonexistent issue”.

“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 pronounced just the opposite,” Patra wrote.

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

“I know you too know and understand this ..Sir let’s not make an issue out of a nonexistent issue ..we all have “slip of tongue sometimes”..Thanks and Pranam!” he added.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Trinamool Congress (TMC) joined Patnaik in condemning Patra’s remarks.

“They have started thinking that they are above God. This is height of arrogance. Calling God bhakt of Modi ji is an insult to God,” Kejriwal said.

I strongly condemn this statement of BJP. They have started thinking that they are above God. This is height of arrogance. Calling God bhakt of Modi ji is an insult to God. https://t.co/cOP23BpOqh

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 20, 2024

Mamata Banerjee’s TMC dubbed the statement as Blasphemy. “Blasphemy of the highest order! BJP MP candidate from Puri @sambitswaraj hit a new low by claiming that even Lord Jagannath is a bhakt of PM Modi. By dragging Mahaprabhu’s name into their petty political discourse just to prop up the Prime Minister’s image, BJP has hurt the sentiments of crores of devotees not just in Bengal but worldwide. Their contempt for our collective sense of cultural pride won’t be taken lightly! People will not stand for such sacrilege!.”