Chennai: DMK chief M. Karunanidhi has urged the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre to implement a reservation policy for Dalits in the private sector. Stating that his party had included the Dalit reservation issue in its 2014 Lok Sabha election manifesto, the former Chief Minister said the DMK had adopted resolutions in this regard in the past as well.

“We have clearly stated that we will prevail upon the Centre to compulsorily follow job reservation in the private sector too,” he said. Referring to reports that the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre is taking up several initiatives to protect the Dalit community and provide reservation for them in private sector, Mr Karunanidhi said it appeared that the Centre is taking such steps with an eye on the upcoming Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh. Welcoming it, he said, “I urge the Centre to come up with a detailed execution plan on implementation of the scheme that does not remain on paper.”