New Delhi: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who was the chief government interlocutor with Team Anna, Thursday described as a "great relief" Anna Hazare ending his fast on Aug 28 after a parliament resolution on the Lokpal Bill.
Mukherjee also said Hazare was "a popular leader" who was agitating on "a genuine concern" of the people.
"Of course it was a great relief... because a very popular leader was agitating on a genuine concern of the people," he said in an interview to a news channel.
"And it (corruption) is a concern of all concerned, whether people inside the government or outside the government... how to eradicate corruption... at least to reduce it to the tolerable level," he said.
"That was one of the primary concerns and people were agitating under a popular leader in a Gandhian way. Therefore, that was an issue, which was to be addressed adequately and ultimately he declared to give up his fast. Naturally all of us had a great relief," he added.
Asked if he thought the Hazare movement was a great day for democracy, Mukherjee said "in a way, thats how multi-party democratic system can respond to a popular agitation, when sometimes the demand from their agitation may appear against constitutional norm or practice or Constitutional form".
IANS
