Shiv Sena does a volte-face on Dutt
The Shiv Sena appears to have changed its stand on the Sanjay Dutt judgment. Shiv Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe, who is one of the party spokespersons, on Monday said in the Legislative Council that the actor’s jail term should not be pardoned.
Late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray was the first political leader to lend support to the actor when he was in jail and had given him a clean chit in 1994 itself. However, the assertion made by Ms Gorhe has raised many eyebrows.
Ms Gorhe said that Dutt’s sentence should not pardoned as it will set a wrong example. The Supreme Court had on March 19 upheld Dutt’s conviction under the Arms Act for illegally possessing prohibited weapons including an AK-56 rifle and sentenced him to five years imprisonment.
While participating in a debate in the Legislative Council on the law and order situation in the state, Ms Gorhe said, “The SC has held 1993 bomb blast accused Sanjay Dutt guilty and awarded a jail term. Lives of thousands of people were ruined by the bomb blasts. The court has awarded jail term to Dutt after evaluating all the evidence in the case. But, now some political parties and persons are making efforts to get his jail term pardoned. Granting pardon to a convicted accused would send a wrong signal that terrorism has government support. Therefore, the appeals to pardon Dutt should not be considered.”
Earlier, Shiv Sena’s alliance partner BJP has also taken the stand that Dutt should not be shown any leniency.
In a related development, expelled Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and Lok Sabha MP from Rampur Jaya Prada have sought an appointment with Maharashtra governor K Sankaranarayanan on Tuesday, apparently to seek pardon for actor Sanjay Dutt.
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