Row over ‘caste bias’: college says student’s conduct was unsatisfactory 

Pune’s Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce, which has drawn disapproval aft erstwhile pupil Prem Birhade alleged caste favoritism for withholding a verification certificate, connected Saturday said that his behaviour arsenic a pupil was “unsatisfactory”. In a connection posted connected societal media, assemblage main Nivedita Ekbote rejected claims of bias and said that the institute had earlier issued Mr. Birhade 3 proposal letters and bona fide certificates.

A time earlier, The Hindu had reported astir the allegations levelled by Mr. Birhade, a Dalit younker based successful London, saying that a U.K.-based institution had “asked my assemblage if I had studied there. The assemblage did not respond. Why? Because you don’t privation america to get up successful life. This is the conflict of me, my family, my community”.

In effect to the principal’s statement, Mr. Birhade said helium would record a defamation and harassment lawsuit against the college, reiterating his complaint of caste discrimination.

“If you privation america to bent a broom and a cookware astir our necks now, that is not going to happen,” helium said successful a video connection connected Saturday.

Gajanan Ekbote, chairperson of the Progressive Education Society that runs the assemblage and the principal’s father, dismissed the allegations arsenic “false and baseless”.

“The earlier proposal letters were provided by module members who person present retired. When the petition for a caller proposal missive came, we said we would archetypal request to verify the records, arsenic the main did not cognize him. There was nary delay. The institution had not fixed america immoderate deadline. We sent the missive arsenic soon arsenic we received a reminder,” helium told The Hindu.

Meanwhile, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi person Prakash Ambedkar issued a connection criticising the college. “Why was helium [Mr. Birhade] acceptable for proposal then, but now, helium secured a spot abroad, the assemblage abruptly finds his quality problematic? Let’s beryllium honest. This isn’t astir discipline. This is astir discomfort. Discomfort with a Dalit pupil daring to emergence beyond the limits nine softly sets for him!”

Mr. Ambedkar added, “What the assemblage has done isn’t conscionable unethical, it’s a targeted and discriminatory act! It’s world sabotage rooted successful caste prejudice! Instead of celebrating his success, they chose to artifact his path. We request to telephone this what it is: caste-based discrimination. And it’s not conscionable wrong, it’s criminal!”