Bhubaneswar: BJP Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sambit Patra on Monday sparked a major controversy by stating that Lord Jagannath is a devotee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The BJP leader’s highly objectionable remarks on Lord Jagannath have been condemned nationwide.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was among the first leader who has strongly denounced the statement made by the BJP leader.
On his ‘X’ handle, the Odisha CM wrote, “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 Odia Asmita. Calling Mahaprabhu a bhakt of another human being is totally condemnable. 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”.
Several political leaders and people across the country have strongly condemned the BJP MP candidate’s controversial statement.
Taking to his ‘X’ handle, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind 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”.
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
Veteran Congress leader Jairam Ramesh demanded that the BJP MP candidate should be immediately disqualified for the outrageous statement
“What an outrageous statement by the BJP’s Puri candidate saying that Lord Jagannath is a bhakt of Mr. Modi. He should be immediately disqualified!”, the Congress leader said.
What an outrageous statement by the BJP’s Puri candidate saying that Lord Jagannath is a bhakt of Mr. Modi. He should be immediately disqualified! pic.twitter.com/VETHdVfku1
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) May 20, 2024
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has also sharply reacted over the statement questioning ‘Who gave a handful of BJP workers the right to hurt the sentiments of crores of people?
जब प्रधानमंत्री खुद को शहंशाह और दरबारी उन्हें भगवान समझने लगें तो मतलब साफ है कि पाप की लंका का पतन नज़दीक है।
करोड़ों लोगों की आस्था को चोट पहुंचाने का अधिकार मुट्ठी भर भाजपा के लोगों को आखिर किसने दिया?
यह अहंकार ही उनके विनाश का कारण बन रहा है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 20, 2024
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, reacted TMC MP Saket Gokhale.
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… pic.twitter.com/w7IRLxcMDr
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 20, 2024
Meanwhile, the neizens have also slammed the controversial BJP leader for insulting Lord Jagannath.