VP’s poems now in Tamil, he wants to be reborn in TN

The former Prime Minister handed over a copy of the translated work to his ‘‘friend’’ and DMK president M. Karunanidhi at the latter’s Gopalpuram residence. The book was released in Tiruchi yesterday at a function organised by the Dravidar Kazhagam.

Singh dwelt on the social responsibility of the private sector, saying it should allocate a quota for the backward and oppressed classes as majority of them were ‘‘deprived because of their birth’’. While they should be trained to equip them and make the Indian industry internationally competitive, reservation in private sector was necessary, he added.

If the US, the ‘‘pope of capitalism’’, could adopt affirmative action for Afro-Americans, India can also find a suitable measure to implement reservation, he said.

On the inclusion of ‘‘foreigners’’ in the sub-committee of the Planning Commission, Singh said: ‘‘We welcome them as guests. But guests must remain in the guestroom and not in the bedroom.’’ On the Left parties sending out ‘‘threat signals’’ to the UPA Government at the Centre, he said: ‘‘That is not there. It will be all right.’’