Kejriwal being treated as 'political prisoner', efforts on to scare him: AAP

AAP alleged on Friday, 26 July, that the BJP-led central government is treating Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal as a "political prisoner" and said all INDIA bloc parties have given in-principle approval to attend a protest to support him on 30 July at Jantar Mantar.

At a press conference in New Delhi, AAP general secretary (organisation) Sandeep Pathak claimed that Kejriwal's blood sugar level dropped to 50 mg/dL and below 34 times in jail between 3 June and 7 July.

"Dictators imprison people due to their political animosity, and Arvind Kejriwal is also a political prisoner," he said and added that the opposition alliance will join the protest to support Kejriwal.

"Efforts are being made to scare Kejriwal but he is not going to be afraid. This is not a question of an individual or the Aam Aadmi Party but to save the country and the system from the whims of a dictator," Pathak said.

This issue has been considered by the INDIA bloc parties and there is "consensus" that this is not a question of any one party or a person but of saving the system of the country and protecting it from being ruined by any one person, he added.

"The heads of all the constituent parties of the INDIA bloc have agreed in principle to attend the protest, Pathak claimed.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh is reaching out to leaders of various parties to urge them to attend the protest at Jantar Mantar, he said.

Pathak said Kejriwal is a chronic diabetic and a drop in the blood sugar level is dangerous for him. It can cause sudden unconsciousness and the patient may even slip into a coma, he added.

He also lashed at the Delhi LG and the leaders of BJP for statements that the Delhi chief minister was not taking adequate quantity of food in jail to effect a "deliberate" drop in his blood sugar level.

Kejriwal is not only a three-time chief minister who is admired and supported by millions, but the political future of the country also depends on him, Pathak asserted.

"It is a very serious matter that such a person is held captive in jail in a fluctuating state of his blood sugar level," he added.

Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 21 March in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged liquor scam. He was later also arrested by the CBI after he got bail from a trial court.

The AAP's national convenor was arrested by the CBI to keep him "forcibly imprisoned and tortured" and his life is being put at risk, Pathak claimed.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said calling Kejriwal a political prisoner is an "insult" to freedom fighters and emergency detainees, and Pathak should tender an apology for it.

Kapoor said diabetes is a serious disease but it cannot be a mandatory condition for bail as it is medically manageable and hundreds of prisoners have the disease.