Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Social media influencer Shubhankar Mishra has apologised for his contentious statements regarding the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri. Mishra, in a video clip, had stated that unmarried couples attending the temple will encounter relationship issues or even breakups, citing an alleged “curse” from Goddess Radha Rani.
Devotees, temple employees, and the general public immediately reacted negatively to Mishra’s remarks, calling them false and insulting to the temple’s customs. A police report was made against Mishra after the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration denounced the comments.
In an apology video on his YouTube channel, Mishra stated, “I had no evil intentions. The hearts of Odia devotees were hurt, and I apologise. Prabhu Jagannath is my God, and I consider Puri Dham my home. I have removed the old video and apologise from the bottom of my heart.”
He said, “What I said was not imaginary or from my own words. The same was also mentioned long ago on various websites. After the complaint was received, I had removed the video from my social media site”.
According to Mishra, his remarks were taken out of context and were spoken a long time ago. He underlined that he didn’t promote misinformation and respects the shrine and its believers. On social media, the scandal spurred a contentious discussion in which many people demanded that influencers take responsibility.
