An FIR has been registered against IIT Patna registrar Awalendra Kumar Thakur over alleged derogatory social media remarks about Dalits. Filed on November 5 following a complaint by former Congress leader Aditya Paswan, the case comes after weeks of complaints, an institutional inquiry and questions over accountability.An FIR has been registered against IIT Patna registrar Awalendra Kumar Thakur over alleged derogatory social media remarks about Dalits.

An FIR has been registered against IIT Patna Registrar Awalendra Kumar Thakur over alleged derogatory social media remarks about the Dalit community, weeks after complaints were raised by faculty members and activists.The FIR was registered on November 5 at Patna's SC/ST police station following a written complaint by former Congress leader Aditya Paswan.Paswan alleged that Thakur had shared a social media remark saying, "Kabil mat bano, Dalit bano, kamyabi jhagg marke pichey ayegi" (Don't be capable, be Dalit, and success will follow). The alleged social media post by Awalendra Thakur (now deleted) The complaint accuses the registrar of hurting the sentiments of the Dalit community, disrespecting the Constitution and promoting caste-based animosity.

Paswan argued that reservation is a constitutional safeguard against centuries of social inequality, not a political favour. The controversy emerged in late September over purported posts attributed to Thakur on Facebook and LinkedIn.

One LinkedIn post called for a review of reservation provisions, describing them as a political vote-bank instrument.The Telegraph reported on October 27 that IIT Patna had received complaints from faculty members and rights activists over the alleged remarks. Thakur denied authoring the posts, calling them fake, doctored and fabricated.

Among those who raised objections was Bahujan rights activist Anil Wagde, a founding member of the IIM Alumni Global Network. He wrote to IIT Patna chairman TV Narendran and director Amit Patra, demanding an inquiry and strict action against Thakur, including an FIR under the SC/ST Act, The Telegraph reported.An IIT Patna faculty member had also separately approached the director, seeking preservation of digital evidence and an independent inquiry, The Mooknayak reported.On October 28, mental health activist and founder of the Global IIT Alumni Support Group, Dheeraj Kumar Singh, wrote to director Amit Patra, seeking details of the inquiry and assurances of an independent investigation.

Patra responded by email that the matter had been escalated to higher authorities and was under consideration.On October 30, former Congress leader Aditya Paswan submitted a police complaint seeking an FIR against Thakur.On the same day, Thakur, in his capacity as registrar, issued an order adding three faculty members to the institute's SC/ST/OBC Cell, including designated SC and OBC representatives. The timing of the order raised questions about the cell's functioning while complaints concerning the registrar were pending.POLICE INVESTIGATION UNDERWAYThe FIR was registered on November 5, according to reports.

The case was registered as case number 62/26 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST Act.Police are investigating the allegations. The registration of an FIR does not establish the authenticity of the posts or prove the allegations against Thakur.

His earlier denial of authorship remains an important part of the case.- Ends