An Indian-origin data scientist in Canada allegedly lost his job after a social media video of him exploiting student food banks sparked outrage. The man, identified as Mehul Prajapati, shared a video explaining how he obtained “free food” from food banks designated for students facing financial hardship.
In the video, Prajapati, who reportedly worked for TD Bank, boasted about saving “hundreds of dollars” every month by visiting food banks on college and university campuses. These facilities, run by charities, churches, and non-profit organisations, provide essential food items to struggling students.
Public perception was that Prajapati, likely earning a comfortable salary, was taking advantage of a system meant for those genuinely in need. The video garnered significant online traction, with many users criticising Prajapati’s actions.
They argued that his seemingly stable employment indicated he didn’t qualify for food bank assistance. Some questioned his judgement, highlighting the ethical implications of exploiting a resource intended for vulnerable students.
The backlash reached Prajapati’s alleged employer, TD Bank. The bank, upholding its values of “care” as stated in a company email, confirmed his termination. The email, shared online, stated, “The alleged actions and messages captured in the video do not align with our TD values or culture of care…We can confirm that the individual named in the video no longer works at TD.”
In reality, Prajapati was only an intern at the bank for 17 weeks, never an employee. His college course required two mandatory internships, and his stint ended in December 2023. He has received many hate messages, with people asking him to be “careful”, how they will “track him down” and some even telling him to “go back to your country.”
Prajapati, a student at Wilfrid Laurier University, was not plundering from government-run food banks but rather using a legitimate program provided by the university in collaboration with LSPIRG and Martin Luther University College. The program offers free groceries to students facing food insecurity on campus, and students must be students of either college and have proper identification to avail the service. The college website provides more information on the program.
Cover Image Courtesy: @Slatzism/X (Formerly, Twitter)
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