New Delhi: Voicing his support for reservation in the private sector, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today (Dec 19, 2003) said an atmosphere has to be created for it.

Addressing a meeting of SC and ST MPs, who raised the issue, he said that in Democracy "we cannot force issues".

At the same time, he reminded the private sector that "it cannot exist in isolation and has to be responsive to the needs of the society".

The Prime Minister said students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes had to be made highly qualified so that they could come up the social ladder without reservation.

Observing that reservation was only a first step in this direction, he said, "It is a crutch and should not be misunderstood for a foot."

PTI