Sambit Patra, the BJP's candidate from Odisha's Puri Lok Sabha seat, has decided to fast for three days to atone for his faux pas when he said Lord Jagannath is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "bhakta" or devotee. Sambit Patra issued a late-night apology on Tuesday for his mistake and said that "a person in his senses can never say that God is a devotee of a human".
Sambit Patra courted controversy during an election rally in Odisha on Monday when he said "Lord Jagannath is a devotee of PM Modi". His remark drew flak from the Opposition parties and local leaders. His statement came on a day the nation was holding the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls and Odisha was conducting the second phase of the assembly election. Later, in the day, he clarified in an X post that it was a 'slip of the tongue' during a media channel interview. The clip of the interview has since gone viral.
He has now decided to observe three days of 'paschataap' or repentance by fasting. "Today, I am deeply troubled by the mistake I have made regarding Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath Ji. I bow to 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," Patra said.
Soon after being cornered by the Opposition, Sambit Patra told news agency ANI, "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... 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."
He clarified: "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'."