Sambit Patra Says Will Fast In Puri For Sacrilege Ahead Of May 25 Vote

It was a sort of “Indira is India” moment for the BJP made by the infamous Congress leader DK Barooah during Emergency. Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sambit Patra committed sacrilege when he remarked that Lord Jagannath was a bhakt or devotee of PM Narendra Modi. Dubbing it as a slip of tongue, he announced that he would undertake a penance and fast for three days. Taking a jibe at Patra, BJD leader and close aide of Odisha chief minister, VK Pandian cautioned Patra against fasting in this scorching heat. “I think he should take care, there is too much heat and dust. He should eat properly and take care. Three days before elections, he should not faint. He is a doctor, he should know what to do.” The BJD leader denied it would escalate this issue as it did not believe in doing politics over religion, especially Lord Jagannath who is the symbol of Odisha’s identity. A day earlier, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik denounced Patra’s remark saying it has hurt the sentiments and demeaned the faith of crores of Jagannatha bhaktas and Odias across the world. The BJP candidate clarified that he wanted to mean that PM Modi was an ardent devotee of Lord Jagannath. To think the gaffe happened on a day, Modi had campaigned for him in Puri!