Delhi Water Minister Atishi, who was on an indefinite hunger strike against the insufficient water release by the Haryana government, has been hospitalised as her blood sugar levels plummeted. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed that Atishi’s blood sugar levels dipped to 43 at midnight, and further dropped to 36 at 3 am. The party also shared images and visuals of the leader being taken to the hospital late at night.
AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, while sharing an image of the glucometer, said, “Atishi's blood sugar level fell to 36, so she has been admitted to LNJP Hospital”.
She was taken to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital in the early hours of Tuesday after her hunger strike entered the fifth consecutive day.
The minister was earlier advised by the doctors to get admitted due to her deteriorating health, a result of the hunger strike. However, she decided to continue her demonstration. She said that her blood pressure, sugar levels as well as her weight have dropped, but her ketone levels are very high. "No matter how much my body suffers, I will continue the fast till Haryana releases water,” she said.
In a statement on Monday, the party said that Atishi’s weight has dropped from 65.8 kg to 63.6 kg on the fourth day of the hunger strike. “Her weight has decreased by 2.2 kg in just 4 days," the statement said. The doctors have counselled her to get admitted and for “oral intake”.
The Water Minister’s hunger strike comes as the AAP accuses BJP-led Haryana government of not releasing 100 million gallons (MGD) per day of water, leading to a water shortage in the national capital. Atishi said that the BJP has withheld 100 MGD or more of water, which is Delhi’s share.
The Delhi cabinet ministers also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a resolution to the issue. Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has also, meanwhile, assured the AAP leaders of intervention in the matter. He said that the resolution would be arrived at by cooperation rather than the blame game.
Residents in many parts of Delhi have been counting on water tankers to meet their daily requirements of water.