Mid-day

Sanjay Dutt, who bore Mother Mary's birthday palanquin on his shoulders, may need her miraculous powers when he receives a copy of the judgment delivered to him by the TADA court under the Arms Act by the end of this month

Mumbai, Sep 14: Actor Sanjay Dutt’s participation in the 13th Annual Procession of Our Lady on Saturday September 8 at Shirley Rajan Village, Bandra, predictably attracted a lot of attention, reports Metro Bandra.

The event, which was moving procession behind a palanquin bearing Mother Mary, commemorates the day on which the Mother of Christ was born.

Over 600 locals watched as the palanquin wound across the streets of Shirley Rajan village on the shoulders of Dutt and his brother-in-law Owen Roncon. Dutt said, “I am stepping in for my sister Priya.

She could not participate in the event, as she does every year because she is pregnant.

I have grown in Bandra among Catholics and have great faith in Mother Mary’s miraculous powers. I prayed to her when I was in jail, so I could be with family and friends. I hope she will be with me when I start shooting again.”

Prayers for Sanjay

“We have always prayed for Sanjay and we did the same when he participated in the procession.

We said a decade of the rosary for him. We pray he overcomes all obstacles he has been facing lately,” said social activist, Stephen Noronha, who formed Our Lady of Vailankanni Association, which organises the yearly event.

Sheila Fernandes, a Shirley Rajan resident, said, “This procession is very close to our heart. His presence added to our joy. We had never imagine he would come.”

Said another resident, Kapil Bhatia, “I have been a Dutt fan for years. He was so good in the Munnabhai movies. We are so happy that he agreed to grace our procession."