New Delhi: A day after AAP leaders launched 'Kejriwal ko Insulin Do' campaign outside the Tihar jail, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was given insulin at Tihar jail after his blood sugar level suddenly soared to 320 a day after the Delhi CM accused the Tihal jail administration of not providing him with insulin despite repeated requests.
Tihar jail administration, however, refuted Kejriwal's accusations that pointed out that during a video consultation with specialists from AIIMS, the issue of insulin was not taken up.
"Today it is clear that the Chief Minister was right, he needed insulin. But the officials under the BJP's central government were deliberately not treating him. Tell me BJP people! If insulin is not needed then why are you giving it now? Because the whole world is cursing them," Delhi Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said.
The AAP has alleged that the Tihar administration withheld insulin from Kejriwal, alleging a conspiracy to harm him.
Atishi's big accusation
Delhi Minister and Aam Admi Party (AAP) leader Atishi said that after the court's order, it has been affirmed that Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal has been deprived of adequate medical facilities in the jail.
"The verdict of Rouse Avenue Court proves that for the last 22 days, Arvind Kejriwal was not getting proper medical care in judicial custody in Tihar Jail," she said. She further stated that today, after 22 days of his judicial custody, the court has ordered that a medical board of one specialist diabetes doctor, one specialist diabetologist and an oncologist should be formed which will take complete care of Arvind Kejriwal to get medical treatment. Taking a veiled jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), she said, "So this makes it clear that despite having such severe diabetes for 22 days, despite his sugar level being above 300, despite his request for isolation, he was not getting proper medical care."
She asserted, "So we hope that the medical board of AIIMS, which will have specialist diabetes doctors, will be found today itself, will check upon Arvind Kejriwal and will start the process of insulating him from today itself..."
Meanwhile, the Rouse Avenue Court declined a plea moved by Kejriwal seeking direction to jail authorities to administer insulin and allow him to consult through video conferencing daily for 15 minutes concerning his acute diabetes and fluctuating blood sugar level. However, the court directed the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) to constitute a medical board to examine Kejriwal's health. The Special Judge Kaveri Baweja while passing the order stated that directions are hereby passed qua the prayer of the applicant for the administration of insulin and also to ensure that the applicant is provided all the requisite medical treatment.
"Though it shall continue to be the primary duty of Tihar Jail authorities, who are stated to be fully equipped to take care of the health of the applicant, to ensure that all requisite medical treatment is provided to him in jail, however, in the event of any requirement for specialized consultation, the jail Authorities shall consult the Medical Board to be constituted by Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), comprising of a senior endocrinologist, diabetologist, as per the request made on April 20, already sent by DG Prisons," said the Court.
AAP-BJP slugfest
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva has alleged that AAP leaders aimed to generate public sympathy for Mr Kejriwal's health during the Lok Sabha elections.
"No doubt Arvind Kejriwal is a diabetic but his sugar is under control in jail as he didn't raise demand for insulin in the video consultation with the doctors of AIIMS," Sachdeva said.
Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate accused Kejriwal of consuming sugary foods regularly, insinuating an attempt to exploit his health for legal advantage. Kejriwal rubbished these accusations as petty and accused the agency of politicising the issue.
"I showed my high sugar levels to every doctor who came to see me. I showed them that there were three peaks in the sugar level every day -- between 250-320," Kejriwal said in his letter.
He continued, "I also showed them that my fasting sugar level was in the range of 160-200 every day. Almost every day, I demanded insulin. Then how could you make such a statement that I never raised the issue of insulin?"
Read more
