|
In wake of actor Sanjay Dutt’s remarks that he is keen to join politics and contest elections, citizen groups from Bandra and Khar got together to mark their protest on any such move on Sunday, June 1, 2008. The representatives of the citizen groups termed Dutt’s plan to contest the Parliamentary elections as a symbol of criminals entering politics. A Bandra resident remarked that the actor does not have any background in politics, has been convicted in the 1993 bomb blast case and also owes money to the income tax department. Hence how can he be trusted to hold a position of a Member of Parliament (MP).
The residents of Khar and Bandra are also contemplating undertaking a signature campaign against Sanjay Dutt’s candidature. The actor has filed an appeal against his conviction in the Supreme Court. Activists however fear that Dutt’s entry into politics would send wrong signals. Shyama Kulkarni, H-West Federation chairman remarked that if the actor happens to be convicted by the higher courts, it would be a mockery of the electoral system. The members of the citizen groups insisted that they had gathered to emphasize that as far as possible, those without a criminal background should contest elections.
