Click to play videoNew Delhi / Mumbai: Jailed actor Sanjay Dutt may be incarcerated in Pune’s Yerawada prison but his shadow looms large on the political landscape. With the Congress leaders openly saying lage raho Sanjubaba, the BJP is furious. They think the Congress should focus on the big fish and not let them swim ashore to safety.
“Instead of Dutt, the Congress party must concentrate on nabbing those who are accused but haven’t been caught,” BJP Spokesperson, Prakash Javdekar said.
BJP's retort follows a well-orchestrated Congress campaign to cash in on Dutt's celluloid popularity. Like his past, Dutt's future is caught in controversy.
But the party’s position is difficult as many leaders feel they ought to repay debts to Sunil Dutt while at the same time maintain an impression of not interfering in the judicial process.
“I believe the party should stand by Sanjay Dutt and it has not said no to that,” Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said.
The slugfest began with eminent jurist Soli Sorabjee joining the debate. The NDA regime's solicitor general thought that the Congress was overdoing things. “The role of a senior Cabinet minister in the Sanjay Dutt case questions the correctness of the judgment,” he said.
Congress knows there is an indirect link between the non-implementation of the Srikrishna reports and the innumerable convictions in the Mumbai blasts case.
Meanwhile, the party has decided to follow the path of silence in Maharashtra. Srikrishna Commission figured in the election manifesto but the party leadership knows the report carries a heavy political price.
The Congress-NCP government has been ruling for two consecutive terms but the manifesto that brought them to power seems to have been long forgotten. Now, with the possibility of the Supreme Court ordering a full reinvestigation into the riots, the administration could be forced to react.
“We will wait for the Supreme Court judgment and follow its directive,” Deputy Home Minister RR Patil said.
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