BJP leader and Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sambit Patra caused uproar when he referred to Lord Jagannath as a devotee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After facing backlash from different quarters, Patra clarified that it was a slip of the tongue and he meant that the PM was a devotee of Lord Jagannath. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condemned Patra's statement and criticized him for hurting Odia pride. Patra has since apologized and announced a three-day fast to atone for his mistake.
BJP's national spokesperson and Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sambit Patra's slip of the tongue, where he mistakenly said PM Modi is a devotee of Lord Jagannath, has caused a stir in the political arena. The opposition parties, BJD and Congress, have used this mistake to criticize Patra and the BJP. Patra has issued a clarification and announced a three-day fasting for atonement, while also calling for the Lord to be kept above any political discourse to avoid hurting religious sentiments.