'…BJP will not spare even Gods', Congress furious over Sambit Patra's statement on Lord Jagannath

'PM Modi should expel Sambit Patra from the party'

Congress media department head Pawan Kheda, while targeting BJP, said that PM Modi should expel Sambit Patra from the party and himself should apologize to the devotees of Lord Jagannath. Addressing the PM, Kheda said that PM Modi should show courage and respect the faith of the devotees of Lord Jagannath and expel Sambit Patra from the party. There are crores of devotees of Lord Jagannath. America, Canada and Australia, everywhere… wherever I go, I listen to Jai Jagannath. Kheda did not stop here, he claimed on social media that if Sambit Patra had been in the Congress party, he would have been immediately thrown out of the party for playing with the faith of crores of devotees of Lord Jagannath. Prime Minister Modi should show courage, expel Sambit Patra from the party and himself apologize to the crores of devotees of the creator Lord Jagannath in India and abroad.

Supriya Shrinet also took on BJP

On the other hand, Congress spokesperson Supriya Srinet also took on BJP. Describing Patra's statement as an attack on the faith of crores of Hindus who believe in Lord Shri Ram and Mahaprabhu Jagannath, he reiterated his demand for an apology from PM Modi. Srinet said that whatever Sambit Patra has said is a complete insult to crores of Hindus who have faith and belief in their religion and God. Narendra Modi ji will have to apologize for this. Taking aim at Congress, Shrinate tried to highlight all the instances where BJP leaders compared PM Modi to God. Taking aim, Supriya said that this is not the first time that BJP has insulted Hindu deities by comparing them with Narendra Modi. He reminded how at the time of the consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, a picture was posted by the official handle of BJP, in which Shri Ram is in the form of a child and Narendra Modi is carrying him holding his finger. Therefore, during Pran Pratistha, large cutouts of Shri Ram and Narendra Modi were installed in Ayodhya.

'Narendra Modi…has started calling himself the messenger of God'

Referring to Champat Rai, associated with the Ram Mandir Trust, Supriya said that he had called PM Modi an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Shrinet said that BJP leader Giriraj Singh called PM Modi an incarnation of God, BJP candidate from Mandi Kangana Ranaut called him a part of Lord Shri Ram, while Sakshi Maharaj called PM Modi an incarnation of Lord Ram and former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Tirath Singh Rawat compared Modi to God. Supriya Shrinet targeted that Narendra Modi has become so narcissistic due to such propaganda that he has started calling himself the messenger of God. The Congress spokesperson took a sarcasm by comparing PM Modi with dictatorial leader Hitler and Korea's Kim Jong Un and said that this kind of propaganda has been seen before in history also. Hitler had also described himself as God and Kim Jong Un had also described himself as having divine powers. Congress said that this statement cannot be condemned enough. Taking aim at Patra for apologizing for his statement, Srinet said that when his statement started being opposed, he was talking about fasting and making a false apology.

NBT Lens

Not only Congress but all opposition parties seem to be attacking BJP regarding Sambit Patra's statement. Even Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has condemned this statement. In fact, the way BJP has been attacking other parties regarding Hindu faith and religion, this time the opposition parties have got a similar opportunity. The opposition is seeing this as a good opportunity to corner BJP. Actually, one of the reasons behind raising this issue against BJP is that for Odisha, Lord Jagannath is not just the center of religion or faith, but it is an integral part of their culture. Along with Lok Sabha, assembly elections are also being held in Odisha. Two phases of elections have been held there, while two phases are still left. Elections are pending in important places like Kakat, Bhubaneswar, where BJP has a huge stake. BJP is cornering CM Patnaik and BJD there by raising the issue of Oriya pride and Oriya identity. In such a situation, the opposition parties have got a sharp opportunity to blunt this edge of BJP.