New Delhi:

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena wrote to Chief Minister Atishi on Tuesday, alleging that AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s accusations that “poison” is being mixed in the Yamuna water and there was an “attempt of genocide” in the national capital are highly objectionable and unfortunate, and amount to endangering national security.

Citing media reports, Saxena said the former Delhi chief minister’s allegations against the BJP-led Haryana government of poisoning the Yamuna river and attempting a “genocide” in Delhi are “highly objectionable, unfortunate and undesirable”.

“Making false, misleading, non-factual accusations of poisoning and genocide over a sensitive issue like drinking water and attempting to incite the public against another state government is not only a threat to the states involved but also to national peace and security,” he said in the letter to the chief minister.

The Lt Governor also pointed out that instead of condemning Kejriwal’s statements, Atishi strengthened the “confusion and fear” among people by writing a letter to the Election Commission (EC) over the matter.

Saxena said he expects the Delhi chief minister to rise above “narrow interests” and refrain from making “misleading, dangerous, and baseless statements, and advise the AAP convenor to do the same for the sake of public welfare and peace”.

Delhi’s water crisis took a sharp political turn on Monday, with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Kejriwal accusing the Haryana government of indulging in “biological warfare”.

In a fiery post on X, he alleged, “Poison is being mixed into the Yamuna to make its water untreatable. If people in Delhi consume this water, many will die. This is nothing short of a mass murder.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The political tussle between Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has escalated over concerns regarding jailed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s health. AAP leader Atishi alleged that Mr Kejriwal’s blood sugar levels had dangerously fallen below 50 mg/dL on multiple occasions while he remains in Tihar Jail under judicial custody.

In a letter addressed to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, Lt Governor VK Saxena expressed concerns about Mr Kejriwal’s health, based on a report from the Superintendent of the prison. Mr Saxena alleged that Mr Kejriwal may be deliberately avoiding the prescribed medical diet and medications, including insulin, despite having Type II Diabetes Mellitus. The letter alleged several instances of “willful low-calorie intake” by the Chief Minister, despite being provided with sufficient home-cooked food.

The LG’s office cited discrepancies in the medical reports, indicating variations between glucometer test readings and continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) reading. The letter also mentioned a weight loss of 2 kg since Mr Kejriwal’s surrender on June 2 attributing it to insufficient calorie intake.

“The report also suggests loss of weight (now 61.5 kg which earlier was 63.5 Kg on the date of surrender – June 2, 2024). Prima facie, it appears to be due to less calorie intake,” the letter read.

AAP’s Response

The Aam Aadmi Party has categorically denied the LG’s allegations. “The Chief Minister’s sugar level has come below 50 more than 8 times. In such a situation, Chief Minister Kejriwal can go into a coma, and there is also a risk of brain stroke,” Atishi said. 

AAP leader Sanjay Singh also criticised the LG’s letter. In a fiery post on social media, Mr Singh said, “What kind of joke are you making, LG Sir? Would a man reduce his sugar levels at night? This is very dangerous. LG Sir, if you do not know about the disease, then you should not write such a letter. God forbid such a time ever comes to you.”

ये क्या मज़ाक़ कर रहें हैं एलजी साहब?
क्या कोई आदमी ख़ुद की रात में शुगर कम करेगा?
जो की बहुत ख़तरनाक है।
एलजी साहब बीमारी के बारे में पता नहीं तो आपको ऐसी लेटर नहीं लिखनी चाहिए।
ईश्वर ना करें कभी आप के साथ ऐसा समय आए। pic.twitter.com/2Y4OTECYtt

— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) July 20, 2024

Party leader Saurabh Bhardwaj echoed similar sentiments. “I know that the Lieutenant Governor used to work in a cement manufacturing company. I don’t know if he specialises in diabetes,” he said.

The Delhi High Court recently stayed a trial court order granting bail to Mr Kejriwal in the excise policy money laundering case, following a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court has scheduled a hearing for August 7 to further deliberate on the matter.

Mr Kejriwal’s legal team has argued that the Supreme Court had granted interim bail, seeking time to file a rejoinder. The ED, however, has contended that the bail was granted based on irrelevant considerations, urging the court to cancel it.