Even a double dose of Munnabhai - the good Samaritan, is not enough to wipe away the bitter memories of Khalnayak. Vastaav (the reality) is, residents of Bandra, Khar and Santa Cruz — voters from Mumbai North-West constituency — do not want Sanjay Dutt as their representative.
They believe that in spite of all his on-screen Gandhigiri, the villainous streak runs deep in the actor, making it impossible for him to shed it in a hurry.
Reacting to media reports about Dutt wanting to get elected as a Member of Parliament (MP), residents and activists from Bandra, Khar and Santa Cruz held a press conference on Sunday to make it clear that they were opposed to any such attempt by the actor.
They also announced their plan of undertaking a signature campaign against Dutt, or any other person with criminal background, to stand for elections.
“We will urge every Mumbaikar to sign for our campaign, and send copies of it to various political parties,” said Anandini Thakoor, president of Khar Residents’ Association. She added that theirs was an apolitical stand, solely concerning the welfare of the citizens.
Anil Joseph, a Bandra resident, said, “In AGNI, we have promoted good candidates through our work, and have informed citizens about the same. You can trust us to keep up our good work.”
Residents were of opinion that since Dutt had already been convicted in the arms Act, it would be wrong to give him a ticket. His troubled life, his struggle with drugs did little to inspire their confidence in him.
“His own life is all messed up. What will he do for his voters? If he wins, and again gets convicted by higher courts, it will be a mockery of the electoral system and we will have to go in for a re-election,” said Vidya Vaidya, a member of General Arun Kumar Vaidya Marg Advanced Locality Management.
Shyama Kulkarni, chairperson H/West Ward Citizens’ Trust, said, “If Sanjay Dutt becomes an MP, he will be a symbol of criminal power entering politics. This threat has to be nipped in the bud.” Joseph added, “Recently, there was a news of him avoiding capital tax.”
Residents expressed hope that they would be able to build a consensus against candidates with criminal background. “We will ask every Mumbaikar not to vote for people like Gawli and Pappu Kalani too. They should not be supported by any political party. If required, we will take to the streets to sensitise people, asking them not to vote for such candidates,” said Thakoor.
