Bhubaneswar: A viral photo showing a 'Campa Cola' hoarding advertisement placed above a shop near the sacred Jagannath Temple, Puri, has triggered strong reactions from servitors and devotees. 

Terming the incident as “deeply unfortunate and condemnable”, a senior servitor of the Jagannath Temple at Puri, Ganeswar Mahasuar, has urged immediate corrective action.

"Using the image of Lord Jagannath or associating commercial products like Campa Cola or any other brand with the sanctity of the temple is completely unacceptable. This is not just a mistake but an insult to the sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees around the world. We request that the concerned authorities and business establishments remove such hoardings immediately. If not, the temple administration will take strict action against those responsible," Mahasuar said on Thursday.

He further added, "Such acts hurt the faith of devotees. Whoever is behind this display is acting irresponsibly and with disregard for religious sentiment. Through you, I appeal to all not to repeat such mistakes in the future."

The controversy has sparked widespread public outrage, with many demanding that the sanctity of religious sites be preserved and kept free from commercial exploitation.

It is worth noting that Campa Cola, the once-iconic Indian soft drink brand recently revived by Reliance Industries, has been facing massive backlash online over hurting the religious sentiments of devotees of Lord Jagannath.

The hashtag #BoycottCampa is trending across the country after the brand allegedly used religious imagery related to Lord Jagannath in one of its advertisements.

The controversy erupted ahead of the main Rath Yatra procession, during which Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra will be taken out on their respective chariots on June 27.

Many users on the social media platform X have accused the company of hurting religious sentiments to promote its product.

The controversy quickly caught fire, with users slamming the brand for what they call a ‘marketing gimmick’ that disrespects religious beliefs.

(IANS)