Foreign hand accusation a bit desperate: Santosh Hegde

Rubbishing the Congress' accusation that Team Anna was involved with foreign elements, one of its members and former Supreme Court Judge N Santosh Hegde on Tuesday said blaming a foreign hand was a 'famous statement' of the 1970s.

"This was a famous statement of the 1970s. Every time a fault was pointed out, (an allegation was made saying) it is the international phenomenon or a foreign hand is involved," said Justice Hegde.

Responding to Union minister Vayalar Ravi's comments, also echoed by his Cabinet colleague V Narayansamy, Hegde said three of the Team Anna members have received Magsasay Awards, which is awarded in Manila.

"Somebody selects them. To say that (they are funded by foreign agencies) is a bit desperate," he added.

To a question on the conviction of people charged with corruption, he said that the "system has failed," with cases under Prevention of Corruption Act taking 10 years to pan out.

"Take (former Union telecom minister) Sukhram's case. The CBI filed a charge-sheet in 1996 and the first conviction was in 2009. Now he has obtained a stay. The system has changed and something better is required," he said.

On former telecom minister and prime accused in 2G scam A Raja being accorded a rousing reception upon his arrival in Tamil Nadu, Hegde, a former Karnataka Lokayukta, described it as "denigration in societal thinking."

"Today, people are sent to jail in a procession as if they are going on a foreign trip. And when they get bail and come out, we receive them (in a way) that shows the downward trend in social laws," he rued.

On election petitions, he called for a "drastic change," saying the very objective of the provision must be kept in mind.

"If a person is not entitled to sit in the elected body, if he continues to be there till the term is over, then what is the purpose of it," he said.