New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) The dietary habits of incarcerated Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have stirred up a debate after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) revealed the details of his high glycaemic index diet during a court hearing on Thursday.
According to the submissions made by the ED before special judge Rakesh Syal of the Rouse Avenue Court, CM Kejriwal, who is diabetic, has been on a high-carb diet since April 2.
The CM's diet, as per the ED, includes four eggs, two bananas, and sweetened tea for breakfast along with 'namkeen bhujiya', a savoury snack. His lunch consists of rice, potatoes, tea, and fruits, including mangoes. Bananas, sweets, and rice are part of his regular diet.
The ED counsel made these revelations during a hearing on Kejriwal’s plea seeking permission to consult his regular doctor via video conferencing due to his 'fluctuating' blood sugar levels.
The assertions made by the ED were refuted by Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi, who accused the agency of misrepresentation.
Addressing a press conference, Atishi said the ED has misled the court by saying Kejriwal is consuming sweetened tea, sweets, and bananas.
"Sugar patients are always advised to keep chocolates, toffees, or bananas with them for any emergency situation," Atishi said.
She also claimed that Kejriwal's sugar level has gone up significantly as the Tihar Jail authorities have failed to provide him with insulin despite repeated requests.
“He is using an artificial sweetener. By attempting to stop the supply of home-cooked food to CM Kejriwal, the BJP is trying to harm his health through the ED. The diet chart submitted by the ED shows that Kejriwal had poori only once and that too on the first day of Navratri. Will you not allow him to have prasad of Navratri,” she asked.
“His sugar level has increased by more than 300 for the last several days. Kejriwal has been asking repeatedly for his insulin. But the jail authorities are not even providing him with insulin,” she claimed.
Taking a dig at AAP, Delhi BJP President Virender Sachdeva said Arvind Kejriwal's double character has come to the fore amid the bail brouhaha.
“While the AAP leaders are calling themselves devotees of Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman, Arvind Kejriwal consumed eggs during Navratri while inside the jail,” he claimed.
As per the diet chart submitted by the ED to the court, Kejriwal consumed eggs on April 11. Navratri began on April 9 and concluded on April 17.
Responding to the BJP's charges, Atishi defended her Chief Minister, saying eggs were part of a balanced diet advised by the doctors.
Earlier on Thursday, the ED counsel presented various documents in the court, including a letter from Tihar Jail's senior medical officer seeking dietary advice for Kejriwal, to support the agency's claims.
The ED said Kejriwal's diet has led to a rise in his sugar level, which stood at 116 on the morning of April 4, before rising to 280 on April 12 and 276 on April 14.
“It may be observed that Kejriwal is consciously consuming items like tea with sugar, bananas, sweets (1/2 pieces), poori, aaloo sabji, etc., on a regular basis, despite being a Type 2 diabetes patient, knowing very well that consumption of such items will raise his sugar levels,” the ED told the court.
The agency also said that this is being done to create a medical emergency “to obtain sympathetic treatment from the court on medical grounds".
“Further, the jail authorities on Wednesday asked AIIMS to prescribe a diet chart for the Chief Minister after considering his sugar records and the fact that he is a Type 2 diabetes patient with chronic constipation and cough (chronic bronchitis), who is under regular treatment,” the ED counsel said.
After a brief hearing, the court sought a medical report from Tihar Jail authorities on the CM’s diet and listed the matter for hearing on Friday.
Kejriwal, who was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged excise policy scam, is lodged in Jail No. 2. He is under judicial custody till April 23.
