Congress distances from Digvijay's remarks supporting Sanjay Dutt

NEW DELHI: Congress today virtually distanced from party leader Digvijay Singh's remarks in support of actor Sanjay Dutt, sentenced under the Arms Act in the 1993 Mumbai blast case, saying "the party does not comment on such matters".

"There is the rule of law. Nobody is big or small in the eyes of law. Anybody can submit his petition to the Governor of the President and they decide on that. The party does not comment on such issues," party spokesperson Rashid Alvi told reporters here.

Singh had said yesterday that "Sanjay Dutt is not a criminal, he is not a terrorist. Sanjay Dutt, at a young age, in the atmosphere of that time, thought that perhaps the way Sunil Dutt had been raising his voice against communalism and favoured the minorities, then perhaps he could be attacked," Singh,

"So, as an obvious reaction of a kid to do something, if he has committed a mistake then I feel that he has undergone the punishment for it," he said.

Singh's remarks come in the wake of support for Sanjay Dutt from a number of politicians and film personalities who want the actor to be pardoned.

BJP has opposed the demand for relief to Dutt, saying law should be the same for everyone.

Press Council of India Chairman Markandeya Katju had also demanded pardon for Dutt.