Differences grow in Anna camp over fast

There were growing signs of differences within the Anna Hazare camp over the continuance of Gandhian's fast with Justice Santosh Hegde today joining another associate, Agnivesh, in saying that the fast should be called off now.

Hegde, also Member of the joint drafting committee on Lok Pal Bill, strongly disapproved of Hazare's insistence on "having his way" in Parliament, saying "I feel I am not in Team Anna any more by the way things are going. These (telling Parliament what to do) are not democratic things."

Asking Hazare to call off his fast that entered the 11th day today, Agnivesh also made it clear that any appearance of threats to Parliament is not becoming of a Gandhian.

"This is some sort of seen as a threat to Parliament 'you do it by tomorrow or day after'. This is not becoming of a Gandhian fast or a moment, so this was the right moment to call it off," Agnivesh said.

Vinod Mehta, Editor-in-Chief of Outlook Magazine, also attacked the "a coterie" within Team Anna, accusing them of "playing with the life" of the Gandhian to press absurd demands.

"I condemn this dangerous game they are playing in the name of people's power. All right thinking people should speak up against the coterie which is leading Anna Hazare and the nation to collision course," he said.