By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Industry, Energy and MSME Minister Pratap Deb finally bow down and tendered his unconditional apology for his remarks on Lord Jagannatha at a party meeting here. Taking to twitter, Minister Deb urged Opposition Parties to refrain from politicising the issue.
‘It is unfortunate to see Oppn parties trying to split hairs and playing unnecessary politics over my yesterday’s speech.I meant that nationally people have started recognizing Odisha for #ShriNaveenPatnaik’s clean and good governance.I urge Oppn parties to stop misinterpreting,” Minister Pratap Keshari Deb tweeted @KeshariDeb.
Minister Deb, during a BJD meeting on Friday, had said that Odisha is now identified by the name of Patnaik, but earlier it used to be known for Lord Jagannath. “There was a time when people knew Odisha because of Lord Jagannath. But now, if you say that you come from Odisha, people across India will immediately identify it as the place of CM Naveen Patnaik,” the Minister had said.
“It’s ‘arrogance’ to the hilt when a minister in Odisha, Pratap Keshari Deb says that while earlier people recognised Odisha in the name of Lord Jagannath… now it’s the CM who’s become more famous than the Lord… & Odisha now is known because of Naveen Patnaik & not Jagannath ji,” said BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra.
Congress MLA Suresh Mohapatra however condemned the statement and reminded Minister about his past Royal family background and urged the Minister to stop oiling Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
