Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday promised that the UPA would ensure reservation for Dalits in private sectors. Addressing a special conference organised by Thirukulam Chinthanaiyalkar Mayyam on the Union Budget on SC/ST Socio-Economic Development and Utilisation, he requested a debate on the issue. ‘‘Don’t take extreme positions and defeat the purpose,’’ he said.Pointing out that reservation in private sector figured in the CMP, he lauded Manmohan Singh for initiating a debate on the matter. He said he would suggest to the PM the need for special recruitment to fill vacancies in the posts reserved for Dalits in the public sector. He called upon members of the Dalit society to start educational trusts and colleges like other communities.
