(MENAFN- IANS) Bhubaneswar, July 30 (IANS) There was a furore in Odisha over the sale of a doormat featuring Lord Jagannath's image on a Chinese e-commerce platform, with several people across the social and political spectrum condemning the act.

Senior BJP leader and Kendrapara MP, Baijayant Panda, on Wednesday condemned the sale of the doormat, calling it deeply offensive.

The BJP strongman also smelled a deeper conspiracy behind this sacrilegious act by the Chinese company, which has already been banned in India.

He emphasised the need for action against @AliExpress_EN to ensure it faces consequences for its offensive conduct.

“Outraged to see the sacred image of Mahaprabhu Jagannath on a doormat that @AliExpress_EN is selling. As an Odia and one among millions of devotees, this is unacceptable. I see a deeper conspiracy by this Chinese e-commerce site, already banned in India. It's just the latest in a long line of foreign entities who have kept trying over centuries to belittle Sanatan Dharma and demean its followers. If the seller does not walk this back, several steps must be taken to make it regret its stand,” asserted Panda.

After the issue came to the fore, devotees of Lord Jagannath, political leaders, priests and servitors of Jagannath temple criticised the selling of such objectionable doormats on the Chinese e-commerce platform.

“Absolutely unacceptable! The use of Lord Jagannath's sacred image on doormats by Chinese e-commerce giant AliExpress is a disgraceful insult to Hindu Sanatan sentiments of people in Bharat and Bharatiyas around the world. I demand an immediate public apology and removal of the product. Until then, I urge not just Hindus but everyone worldwide to boycott AliExpress. We won't tolerate disrespect to our deities,” posted BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar.

Congress MLA Sofia Firdous also condemned the selling of doormats featuring Lord Jagannath calling it a grave insult to millions of devotees.

“Strongly condemn the blasphemous act of selling doormats with the sacred image of Lord Jagannath on @AliExpress_EN. This is a grave insult to millions of devotees and a serious attack on cultural and religious sentiments. Immediate action must be taken to remove the listing and issue a public apology,” wrote Firdous.

Noted sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik also demanded the enactment of stringent laws to stop such objectionable depictions of Lord Jagannath on e-commerce sites and other digital platforms.

He also stated that these repeated incidents of disrespect to Lord Jagannath are hurting the sentiments of lakhs of Jagannath devotees across the globe.

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