Munnabhai to be awarded 'Bharat Vibhushan'

Panaji, Oct 31: Vision India, a national self-reliant peoples' organisation has announced its decision to award the prestigious 'Bharat Vibhushan-2006' award to actor Sanjay Dutt for his lead role in 'Lage Raho Munnabhai'.

Declaring the award at a press conference here today, its national convenor Dr Sushrut Martins had appealed to the President and the Prime minister of India to allow screening of the movie tax free in all theatres in the country besides making arrangements for its screening at all localities to inculcate values of patriotism and Gandhigiri as against Dadagiri.

''The character Munnabhai played by Sanjay Dutt in the film churned the emotions of the public towards the ideology of truthfulness and non-violence championed by Mahatma Gandhi for bringing freedom to India,'' Dr Sushrut said.

The Vision India, he said, vowed to inculcate patriotism, secularism and brotherhood through Gandhian thought among the masses and bringing about a revolution towards financial freedom and and thereby equality one and all.

''We fell that Sanjay Dutt has become a brand ambassador of Gandhism and its effectiveness remarketing through the film has eased the task of all governmental oranisations and the NGO's in the promotion of Gandhian thought and ideology for a better life-style,'' he said.

His portayal of the character Munnabhai in the film was considered as the ''climax of his genius which should be recognised unconditionally, burying in the backyard all that he would have done in the past,'' he said.

The award would be presented to the actor in either Goa or Mumbai in a month or two in consultation with Mr Dutt.

In this connection, Dr Sushrut appealed to the artists, dramtists, producers and directors to produce movies and shows of the likes carrying the message of truth, non-violence, love, compassion, secularism, and religious harmony to arrest the rising trend of degrading, degenerative and destructive attitudes in the country.

UNI