Exclusion of Bahujan Entrepreneurs in Public Contracts: A Deep Dive

On Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi raised serious allegations against the Modi government, accusing it of systematically excluding Bahujan entrepreneurs from major public contracts through its policies. The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha highlighted the absence of data on contracts awarded to Dalits, Adivasis, and OBCs, raising concerns over transparency.

Gandhi has called attention to the public procurement policy, which mandates a purchase quota for MSMEs, including a 4% allocation for Dalit and Adivasi enterprises. He criticized the government for not enforcing these quotas in the largest public works contracts, labeling it a structured exclusion undermining social and economic justice.

The Congress leader's inquiry to the Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs in Parliament revealed no mechanism for identifying contracts awarded to marginalized groups, raising questions about whether procurement targets are being met and whether there is potential for expansion.