In New Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, received insulin at Tihar jail on Monday night after his blood sugar level surged to 320, far above the ideal range of 70 to 100. Kejriwal, who is diabetic, voiced dissatisfaction with the Tihar jail authorities, alleging that despite his repeated requests, they had not provided him with insulin.
The Tihar jail administration countered Kejriwal’s claims, stating that during a video consultation with specialists from AIIMS, neither the topic of insulin nor its necessity was brought 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 in a statement.
A city court issued a directive to AIIMS to establish a medical board to evaluate Mr. Kejriwal’s medical requirements, particularly concerning insulin. The court pointed out discrepancies between the dietary regimen of the Delhi Chief Minister, which included home-cooked meals, and the diet prescribed by doctors.
In a letter addressed to the superintendent of Tihar jail on Monday, Mr. Kejriwal refuted the jail administration’s assertion that he had not raised the issue of insulin during consultations with doctors. Kejriwal maintains that he repeatedly brought up the need for insulin for 10 days.
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The AAP has accused the Tihar administration of withholding insulin from Mr. Kejriwal, alleging a conspiracy to harm him.
Virendra Sachdeva, the Delhi BJP president, has alleged that AAP leaders sought to elicit 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,” Mr Sachdeva said.
The Enforcement Directorate accused Mr Kejriwal of consuming sugary foods regularly, insinuating an attempt to exploit his health for legal advantage. Mr. Kejriwal swiftly dismissed these accusations as petty and accused the agency of politicizing the issue.
Arvind Kejriwal’s letter
“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,” Mr Kejriwal said in his letter.
“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?”
The Delhi Chief Minister was arrested on March 21 by the ED in connection with a money-laundering case linked to the Delhi government’s now-scrapped excise policy and has been lodged in Tihar jail since April 1. The Delhi High Court will hear Mr Kejriwal’s petition challenging the summonses issued to him by the probe agency on May 15.
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