Santosh Hegde appeals Hazare to end fast

Team Anna member and former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde today appealed to Anna Hazare to end his eight-day fast, saying everyone is "honestly" concerned about his health.

Hegde said the 73-year-old Gandhian however need not have to drop his protest while withdrawing his fast for a strong Lok Pal Bill.

"I appeal to Annaji to discontinue his fast. We are honestly concerned over his health," the former Supreme Court judge said.

"If something happens to him the entire movement would go the wrong way," he said shortly after a concerned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh directly reached out to Hazare appealing to him to end his fast with a promise that his version of Lok Pal Bill could be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee if rules permit.

Hegde said it was Hazare's health condition that led him to appeal to the Gandhian to end his fast and not the prime minister's letter to the anti-corruption crusader.

Hegde, who is closely involved in the anto-corruption campaign, however said the prime minister has made the right move on the Jan Lok Pal Bill and that it could have been done earlier. He wondered why it took the Government so long to take this apaproach.

To a question on whether Team Anna had become rigid, Hegde said "I think the government has created this situation. We have tried to talk several times with the government."