Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presides over a government that is beset by corruption scandals involving thousands of crores of rupees. The telecom scam involving Union minister A Raja and the mega contracts doled out in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games are just the most brazen among such examples.

Yet, the prime minister himself has never been accused of corruption. He continues to enjoy a clean image that is bolstered by his outsider-insider status in politics. Despite being the prime minister, he is not the most powerful politician in the country. He owes his position to the Congress president Sonia Gandhi and he will remain in his job only so long as he enjoys her confidence.

The question, however, arises as to whether the circumstances of his elevation to the post of prime minister suffice to absolve him of any personal accountability for the conduct of his team members. Should a prime minister presiding over a government that is perceived as corrupt be considered clean?