But things went wrong when the warden of the hostel he was living in refused to fix a water shortage problem on September 23 2019. Hostel accomodation is expensive yet many have been complaining about the food quality for years. It's hard to know if they are right. But what kind of institution is able to deprive 1,600 students of water for several days and tell them that they should be ashamed to complain about it? Well Amrita Campus is.
The day after hundreds of students staged a protest. They went on rampage breaking windscreens, windows, buses... The school decided to inquire in order to identify the vandals.
Sri Harsha who is described as a shy, sensitive, dedicated and hard working man has been accused of damaging a CCTV camera in the hostel. Although his friends kept on telling that he was innocent, the school suspended him for a year. He allegedly killed himself by jumping from the seventh floor of a campus building while his father was waiting for him in front of the college. The reaction of the school's management is impossible to comprehend. They immediately decided to wipe the scene clean. All bloodstains had disappeared before the police came. Why was is so urgent?
Anyway 10 staff members have been booked for tempering with evidence and abetment to suicide. So strange that one of them had previously been involved in another suicide case. When Jitendra Sai hanged himself in 2012, Lecturer Rakesh SG prevented his classmates from helping the dying student. This is the second time that this man has to face legal charges for the same reason. Students die, he remains.
More students went on strike after this tragic death. They asked for Chancelor Mata Amritanandamayi herself to come and address the issue. As far as we know she never answered their request.
After 4 days of protest following Harsha's death, the school officials finally agreed to talk to the students. In vain. Most requests aiming at making the college a safer place were denied. The dean only promised to provide them with proper food and 24 hour water supply. Amazing. When you pay Rs 85,000 fees for board ($1,200) do you really need to beg for something as basic as water? Is it a favor or an option to drink and wash daily?
Amma. Goddess of Compassion. Pouring peace and love in whatever she does. It works well with her devotees blinded by faith but her students shed blood and tears.