How Indian Student's Viral Food Bank Video Sparked Disinformation Storm In Canada

Mehul Prajapati was earlier reported to be a data scientist at TD Bank in Canada. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

A 26-year-old Indian student in Canada, who made headlines this week for the wrong reasons, turned out to be a victim of a disinformation storm on social media.

Mehul Prajapati, studying at Canada’s Wilfrid Laurier University, got caught in a web of lies after posting a video on Instagram about how university students can use a local food bank. The now-deleted video sparked widespread debate on social media platforms like X, TikTok, and Reddit, with many spewing hate on the Indian student.

False information

“This is how I save hundreds of bucks every month in food and groceries,” Prajapati, wearing a Laurier sweater, said in the video. “All these groceries for this week I got free. This is for everyone, all the students.” Social media users slammed the idea of students relying on food banks for free food to save money. However, the situation escalated when false information began circulating online.

False claims suggested that Prajapati was a data analyst at TD Bank earning a substantial salary. These claims were debunked when it was revealed that Prajapati had completed a 17-week internship at the bank, which had ended in December 2023. Despite the clarification, headlines falsely stated that TD Bank had “sacked” Prajapati. The bank rejected these claims, saying that Prajapati was not a current employee at the time the video was posted.

Online abuse

After online backlash took a toll on Prajapati, Laurier University’s dean of students announced a review of the situation, promising the necessary support. “The online abuse directed at our student is malicious and harmful,” Laurier said in a statement to The Record. “We are providing the student with the necessary support.” “The online abuse directed at our student is malicious and harmful,” Laurier said in a statement to The Record. “We are providing the student with the necessary support.”

Feeling overwhelmed by the online abuse, Prajapati deactivated all his social media accounts. He expressed frustration over the situation, saying that false allegations had tarnished his reputation. Prajapati also clarified that his intention in the video was to inform struggling students about available resources. “This experience taught me a hard lesson: Not everything you see on the internet is true. Often, the real story is very different from what people assume. This the dark side of social media and internet either can make you hero or zero in a click of time,” he told Moneycontrol.

Food Banks

The use of food banks among international students has stirred controversy in recent months, leading to some food banks considering bans on student access. According to November 2023 data from the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, 1,900 individuals self-identifying as students sought food assistance in the area, marking a 220% surge compared to the corresponding period in 2022.

“We know that post-secondary students face the same cost-of-living challenges as many other adults, but they also have the added financial burden of tuition costs and student debt,” Kim Wilhelm, CEO of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, told the Record. “If you live in Waterloo Region and you identify that you are in need of food, you will receive food, full stop.”