ED claims Kejriwal Voters gear up
At a press conference, Atishi stated that Kejriwal’s insulin requests were denied by Tihar Jail officials, and efforts to consult his doctor via video call were obstructed by the ED and prison authorities.
“Despite Kejriwal’s repeated requests, he is not being given insulin, and his sugar level is increasing. He is not being given medication because there is a plot to kill him,” she alleged.
She claimed Kejriwal’s blood sugar levels have consistently exceeded 300 mg/dL.
The Tihar Jail administration has countered Atishi’s claims, stating Kejriwal’s health is stable, with fasting sugar levels never reaching 300. They affirmed that he receives home-cooked food and medication as per court directives, and his health is monitored by jail doctors.
Delhi BJP Chief Virendra Sachdeva has challenged Atishi to present any medical advice recommending a diet of oily, sugary foods for Kejriwal.
Atishi defended Kejriwal, stating he consumes tea and sweets with Erythritol, a sweetener prescribed by his doctors, and requires 54 units of insulin daily for his long-standing diabetes.
She refuted the ED’s claims that Kejriwal consumes bananas and potato puris to elevate his sugar levels, emphasising that bananas are recommended for emergencies due to potential sudden drops in blood sugar. Atishi highlighted that Kejriwal’s diet chart, presented in court by the ED, indicated puris were consumed only once during Navratri.
Atishi also mentioned Kejriwal’s participation in an insulin reversal program since March 1, which was disrupted following his arrest on March 21, leading to fluctuations in his blood sugar levels. She reiterated the necessity of insulin for Kejriwal, accusing the jail authorities of denying it.
She warned the ED and BJP of divine retribution for their alleged conspiracy against Kejriwal’s life, asserting that neither the public nor a higher power would forgive such actions.
Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari expressed concern over Kejriwal’s diet, suggesting a transfer to a non-AAP jurisdictional jail.
gain a foothold in the Dravidian land.
The election mood set in pretty early in the state in January, with Modi making repeated visits
and declaring development and honour for Tamil language and culture as his main election plank. The BJP has also denounced the DMK-Congress alliance over alleged corruption and dynasty politics.
Coimbatore, the hub of western Tamil Nadu, is the most keenly watched constituency in the state and Annamalai, the BJP’s state chief, is battling against Dravidian giants the DMK and AIADMK. He also faces challenge from the Tamil nationalist, Naam Tamilar Katchi in the fourcornered contest with anti-DMKCongress votes split into three.
The Katchatheevu issue has also led to a slanging match between the BJP and the DMKCongress combine.
Tight security arrangements have been put in place for the first of the two-phased Lok Sabha elections in Manipur, which had been rocked by ethnic violence over the last one year.
The Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat, which comprises 32 of the 60 assembly segments in the state, and 15 assembly segments of the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat will go to polls in the first phase. Voting will be held in the remaining 13 segments of Outer Manipur in the second phase on April 26.
In Rajasthan, Nagaur is set to witness a close contest between the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) candidate and former MP Hanuman Beniwal in alliance with Congress against BJP nominee and former Congress MP Jyoti Mirdha.
Beniwal with the BJP’s support in the 2019 elections defeated Mirdha, who was then a Congress candidate. However, Beniwal separated from the NDA in 2020 over the farmers’ agitation issue.
The prestigious Dibrugarh constituency in Assam has three candidates in fray with Union minister Sonowal, a Rajya Sabha MP, pitted against the United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA) candidate Lurinjyoti Gogoi of the AJP and Aam Aadmi Party’s Manoj Dhanowar.
In Jorhat, four candidates are in contention, with Lok Sabha’s Deputy Leader of the Opposition Gaurav Gogoi locked in a direct contest with sitting BJP MP Topon Gogoi.
Voters of eight Lok Sabha constituencies in western Uttar Pradesh, falling in the Jat and sugarcane belt, are also eligible to exercise their franchise. The seats going to polls are Saharanpur, Bijnor, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Nagina (reserved for Scheduled Castes), Moradabad, Rampur and Pilibhit.
Investigations by Public Eye and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) suggest that Nestle’s baby products in less developed regions of South Asia, Africa, and Latin America contain more sugar than those sold in European markets.
In response to these findings, a Nestle India spokesperson highlighted
the company’s commitment to reducing added sugars and continuously improving their product formulations to maintain nutrition, quality, safety, and taste standards.
Nestle India maintains that its infant cereals are produced to meet the nutritional needs of early childhood, including protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and iron, without compromising on nutritional quality.
“We never compromise and will never compromise on the nutritional quality of our products. We constantly leverage our extensive Global Research and Development network to enhance the nutritional profile of our products,” the spokesperson said.
The company also highlighted its adherence to CODEX standards set by the WHO and FAO, as well as local regulations, ensuring all nutrient requirements, including added sugars, are met.
A study by IBFAN examined around 150 baby products globally. It found that while Cerelac for six-month-old babies contains no added sugars in the UK and Germany, several Cerelac variants in India had an average of 2.7 grams of added sugar per serving. The sugar content was labelled on the packaging in India. The highest recorded sugar content was 6 grams in Thailand, and in the Philippines, some samples contained 7.3 grams of sugar without disclosure on the packaging.
Nestle India reaffirms its century-long commitment to providing optimal nutrition and upholding the highest standards of quality and safety in its products.