Opposition to the demand of Bollywood personalities and a section of politicians that actor Sanjay Dutt be granted pardon in the 1993 bomb blasts case grew on Saturday with anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare and the Opposition parties decrying such a move.
Hazare said that though there is nothing wrong if some people, including the elected representatives, are making efforts to get Dutt pardoned, the Supreme Court judgment is final and Dutt should be ready to undergo punishment.
"Sanjay Dutt should abide by the Supreme Court's decision and serve the sentence given to him," Hazare said in Pune.
The state BJP unit also warned the Congress-led government against commuting Dutt's five-year sentence. "Everybody is equal before the law. Dutt was sentenced to jail for keeping arms given by those who hatched the conspiracy to wage war against the country. We don't want the Congress-NCP government to forget this," said BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde.
Meanwhile, Dutt's sister and Congress MP from Mumbai Priya Dutt said the family will explore every option available to get Dutt pardoned.
"As a sister, as a family, we will always stand by him.
{{/usCountry}}"As a sister, as a family, we will always stand by him.
{{/usCountry}}That is what any loving family will do. It is only logical that as a family we will explore every option," she said in a statement.