‘I will observe fast for three days’: BJP leader Sambit Patra apologises for his remark on Lord Jagannath

Bhubaneswar: Amid continuous attack by political parties over his Lord Jagannath gaffe, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson and Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sambit Patra Tuesday apologised for the “slip of the tongue” and announced to observe a three-day fast to offer penance.
“I will observe fast for three days to repent for the unintentional remark due to the slip of tongue,” Patra said in a video message on X.
“I am deeply pained by my mistake regarding Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath Ji. I bow down at the feet of Mahaprabhu Sri Jagannath Ji and seek forgiveness,” he posted.

Today, my conscience is deeply troubled by the mistake I have committed regarding Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath Ji.
I bow my head at the feet of Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath Ji and seek forgiveness. I will be fasting for the next 3 days to repent and rectify my mistake.
Jai Jagannath.
Today Mr. pic.twitter.com/rKavOxMjIq
— Sambit Patra (Modi Ka Parivar) (@sambitswaraj) May 20, 2024

Patra, during an interview with a local television channel Monday, remarked that Lord Jagannath is a devotee (bhakt) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Patra’s remark drew strong criticism with the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) calling it an insult to Lord Jagannath 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 Read for a very long time,” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik posted on X Monday.

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

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also condemned the statement by calling it the “height of arrogance”.

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.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 20, 2024