An FIR has been registered against IIT Patna Registrar Avalendra Kumar Thakur for allegedly making derogatory remarks about the Dalit community on social media. This action follows complaints filed by faculty members and activists several weeks ago.
“Don’t try to be ‘capable’ (meritorious); just be a Dalit, success will come chasing after you.”
The FIR was registered at the SC/ST police station in Patna on November 5, based on a written complaint filed by former Congress leader Aditya Paswan. Paswan alleges that Thakur shared a comment on social media which read: “Don’t try to be ‘capable’ (meritorious); just be a Dalit, success will come chasing after you.”
The complaint accuses the Registrar of hurting the sentiments of the Dalit community, showing disrespect toward the Constitution, and promoting caste-based hatred. Paswan argues that reservation is a constitutional safeguard against centuries of social inequality, rather than a political favor.
The controversy began in late September when posts attributed to Thakur appeared on Facebook and LinkedIn. One LinkedIn post called for a review of reservation provisions, describing them as a tool used to secure political vote banks.
According to a report by ‘The Telegraph’ on October 27, IIT Patna had received complaints from faculty members and human rights activists regarding these alleged remarks. Thakur has denied authoring the posts, dismissing them as fake, manipulated, and fabricated.
Among those who raised objections was Anil Wagde, a ‘Bahujan rights’ activist and a founding member of the ‘IIM Alumni Global Network.’ As reported by ‘The Telegraph,’ he wrote to IIT Patna Chairman TV Narendran and Director Amit Patra, demanding an investigation into the matter and calling for strict action, including the registration of an FIR against Thakur under the SC/ST Act. According to a report by ‘The Mooknayak’, a faculty member at IIT Patna also reached out to the Director independently, requesting that digital evidence be preserved and an independent investigation into the matter be conducted.
On October 28, Dheeraj Kumar Singh, a mental health activist and founder of the ‘Global IIT Alumni Support Group’—wrote to Director Amit Patra, seeking details regarding the investigation and an assurance that an impartial inquiry would be held. Patra responded via email, stating that the matter had been escalated to higher authorities and was currently under consideration. On October 30, former Congress leader Aditya Paswan filed a police complaint seeking the registration of an FIR against Thakur.
On the same day, Thakur, in his capacity as Registrar, issued an order inducting three faculty members into the institute’s SC/ST/OBC cell, including designated representatives for the SC and OBC categories. The timing of this order has raised questions: why were changes made to the functioning of this cell while complaints against the Registrar were still pending?
Police Investigation Underway
According to reports, an FIR was registered on November 5. The case has been filed under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST Act, registered as Case No. 62/26. The police are currently investigating these allegations. The registration of an FIR does not imply that the posts are authentic or that the allegations leveled against Thakur have been proven. Thakur’s earlier assertion that he did not author these posts remains a crucial aspect of the case.
