VIDEO: VBA Stages Protest Outside Pune's Modern College After Dalit Man Denied Education Reference

The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) on Friday staged a protest outside Pune's Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce after one of its former students, Prem Birhade, who belongs to the Dalit community, was allegedly denied an Education Reference.

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VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar took to X (formerly Twitter) and claimed that Birhade was forced to forfeit his employment opportunity at Heathrow Airport in London after Modern College refused to verify his academic credentials because he was Dalit.

'Why? Because Prem is a Dalit'

Ambedkar wrote, "Prem Birhade, a young Dalit who recently graduated from the prestigious University of Sussex, was forced to forfeit a hard-earned employment opportunity at Heathrow Airport in London. The reason? His former college, Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Pune, refused to verify his academic credentials, despite him submitting all required documentation. Why? Because Prem is a Dalit!"

Ambedkar said that the college's principal, Dr Nivedita Gajanan Ekbote, serves as the Maharashtra Vice-President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the BJP.

'Example of systemic caste discrimination'

"Given her political and ideological alignment with the Manuwadi BJP, one can only imagine the extent to which caste prejudice must have shaped her actions against SC, ST and OBC students in her academic career," the VBA chief alleged.

"The verification was provided when Prem had gone to London to study. When Prem requested the same verification again for his job, the college’s administration enquired about his caste! Prem’s journey from Nardubar, a poor tribal district, to the UK was not an easy one. Prem’s case is a glaring example of how systemic caste discrimination continues to haunt Dalit youth, even after they break through enormous social and economic barriers. This case demands urgent attention and accountability. Prem’s story is not just his own; it is the story of countless Dalit students whose aspirations are crushed because of caste-discrimination," Ambedkar concluded.

Responding to the allegations, Ekbote posted a two-page statement on X and rubbished the allegations of discrimination levelled against her and the institution.

'False, misleading, and defamatory statements'

She said that Birhade, who was admitted to the BBA programme in June 2020 and passed in January 2024, "has been continuously posting false, misleading, and defamatory statements on social media, attempting to malign the image of the college, its staff members, and the principal."

"It is important to note that the student completed his education prior to my tenure as principal, and I have never personally known or taught him. Furthermore, the student has already been issued three Letters of Recommendation (LORs) and one Bonafide Certificate by the college administration in the past, thereby fulfilling all his legitimate academic documentation requirements. Recently, he approached the college once again, demanding that an Education Reference for employment purposes be issued under my signature. Considering his unsatisfactory conduct and disciplinary record during his tenure as a student, and as per institutional policy, the college decided not to issue any further recommendation or reference letter," Ekbote wrote.

'Deep respect for Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar'

After the college didn't issue the recommendation, Birhade "began publishing false, defamatory, and inflammatory videos on various social media platforms, falsely alleging that the college, Dr Anjali Sardesai (Vice-Principal, Academics), Prof Lawly Das (Head, BBA Department), and the undersigned are discriminating against him on caste grounds," said the principal.

"I wish to categorically state that no such instance of caste-based discrimination has ever occurred. Neither the college nor any staff member has ever raised or discussed his caste identity at any time. The institution upholds the highest standards of equality, inclusivity, and respect for all communities, particularly students belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories. I also wish to place on record my deep respect for Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution. His ideals of equality, education, and social justice have profoundly influenced my personal and professional journey. It is because of the empowering constitutional framework envisioned by Dr Ambedkar that I proudly serve today as the principal of this reputed institution," Ekbote added.

The principal further stated that refusal to issue the recommendation is "purely based on institutional norms, disciplinary considerations, and professional ethics, and has no connection whatsoever with the student's social or community background."