Crusading Arjun opens rift in UPA

NEW DELHI: As the UPA government continues with its efforts to cleanse the administration of RSS elements, differences have surfaced within on how to do this. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may be in agreement with HRD minister Arjun Singh on the cleanup, but sources close to the PM say he does not wish to see one set of ideologically committed persons replaced by another set committed to another ideology, unless they are also persons of eminence, excellence and known professional competence."The PM wants such persons to be appointed who will stand professional scrutiny," these sources said.
While the BJP is openly saying that Arjun Singh''s attack on the RSS is more a destabilising attack on the PM, sections in the Congress, recalling the troubled Arjun Singh-Narasimha Rao relationship when the latter was PM, can''t help but agree.Government sources deny that a power struggle of sorts is on, but acknowledge differences of approach.
Indeed, on Independence Day, this year, one of the issues the PM will stress in his speech, sources said, is that the criteria for leadership of academic and professional institutions in the country should be based on merit, excellence and eminence, not proximity to those in power.