Ottawa: An Indian-origin data scientist, Mehul Prajapati, got fired from his job at TD Bank in Canada after a video surfaced showing him boasting about getting free food from food banks intended for students. In the video, Prajapati explained how he got groceries for free, and saved hundreds of bucks monthly by following this practice.

The video was initially uploaded by the data scientist on instagram, but was later shared by a user @Slatzism, on social media platform X. Users criticised Prajapati for exploiting resources meant for the disadvantaged, highlighting the intended purpose of food banks to assist the poor and needy. The video showed Prajapati’s weekly food haul, which included fruits, vegetables, bread, sauces, pasta, and canned goods obtained from these charitable institutions.

”This guy has a job as a bank data scientist for @TD_Canada, a position that averages $98,000 per year, and proudly uploaded this video showing how much “free food” he gets from charity food banks,” the video was captioned by the X user.

In response to the outrage, an update emerged from X user, confirming Prajapati’s dismissal from TD Bank. A screenshot of an email from the bank corroborated the termination, stating that Prajapati no longer held a position at the institution.

The incident ignited a heated debate among online commentators, with many condemning Prajapati’s actions as unethical and disrespectful towards those genuinely reliant on food bank assistance. Some users emphasized the importance of preserving the integrity of food banks, citing shame as a traditional deterrent against abuse of such services.

However, amidst the condemnation, a few individuals supported Prajapati’s actions, highlighting potential ramifications of his job loss. Some defended him by arguing that surplus food wastage elsewhere could justify his actions.