Bhubaneswar: Expressing anguish over the “terrible mess” in the conduct of Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra in Puri this year, Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Naveen Patnaik on Saturday prayed to the almighty to forgive those responsible for the development.

Patnaik, who is recuperating at a hospital in Mumbai after surgery, in a post on X said: “We aren’t here to point fingers or blame the administration for inordinate delay in pulling the Nandighosha (Lord Jagannath’s) chariot.

But it’s impossible not to voice our deep concern and anguish over how things unfolded during the most sacred event in our State.”

Patnaik also mentioned that it is hard to forget how, last year, Lord Balabhadra’s idol slipped during the ‘Adapa Bije Pahandi’ (procession on the way to Shree Gundicha temple), a moment that left countless devotees shaken.

“And now this year, we witnessed Lord Jagannath’s chariot standing at the Singhadwar (Lion’s Gate of the 12th-century shrine) till 7.45 pm, only to move a few metres before the day ended,” Patnaik said in a long social media post.

“That understandably has left lakhs of devotees, who came from all over the world to witness this unique event, completely disenchanted and disillusioned,” the former chief minister said.

Patnaik said hundreds of devotees also got injured due to poor crowd management. “All we can do is pray: May Mahaprabhu Jagannath forgive all those responsible for the terrible mess that has overshadowed this divine festival this year. I hope it leads to deep introspection by all in government,” he said.