Arjun slams Sibal's quota remark

At his first "political" press conference since he joined the Cabinet, Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh today stopped just short of criticising colleague Kapil Sibal for his remarks against OBC quotas in top educational institutions but made it clear that he was all for reservations.

In an apparent reference to Sibal's remarks in Germany, perceived to be anti-reservation, a reporter asked why ministers should speak out of turn. To this, Singh said, "It is certainly not desirable."

He hinted he had complained to the prime minister against Sibal by stating that decorum prevented him from divulging what he told Manmohan Singh. He said it was for the prime minister to take a view on the matter.

The former Congress vice-president and Punjab governor had earlier this month warned colleagues that militancy was making a comeback in Punjab, which has a Congress government.

This, his position on reservations and remarks on government's handling of the Narmada rehabilitation are being taken as hints that the prime minister's handling of these issues leaves much to be desired.

In the face of the Election Commission notices over move to reserve seats for OBCs in the middle of elections in five states, Singh said "my lips are sealed" and that he would speak only after the assembly results were out on May 11. But he took a number of questions on quotas, letting the government know it had done little to manage the issue.

The fact that Singh's advice is valued within the party and he is a welcome visitor at 10 Janpath suggests that his target is the prime minister and the managers, including advisers, of Sonia Gandhi.