NEW DELHI: Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh has supported the demand to pardon Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt , who has been sentenced to five years imprisonment under the Arms Act in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

"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 told reporters.

"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 Dutt from a number of politicians and film personalities who want the actor to be pardoned.

The support for Dutt coming from Congress has surprised many as the Bollywood star had campaigned for Samajwadi Party in the last assembly elections in which Congress heir apparent Rahul Gandhi was pitched against Mulayam Singh Yadav’s son Akhilesh.

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

RSS mouthpiece Panchjanya criticized the "hue and cry" about the jail sentence to Dutt and said he actually got away with a light punishment.

Press Council of India chairman Markandeya Katju had also demanded relief for Dutt.