AAP leader Atishi came under fire from Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal when she called off her hunger strike a few days after it started. On Tuesday, Maliwal said, “The strength to go on a hunger strike is gained only by struggling on the ground for many years, not by speaking lies and dirty things about others the whole day.” Maliwal emphasized that Satyagraha, as Gandhiji had called it, must be carried out from the heart and with sincerity. She talked about her personal experiences fasting for 10 and 13 days, which prompted lawmakers to pass a bill that calls for the execution of child rapists. Maliwal ended by wishing Atishi a speedy recovery and continuing success in serving the people of Delhi.
After her blood pressure and sugar levels sharply dropped, Atishi was forced to call off her hunger strike and was brought to the intensive care unit. On social media, a video of her being carried on a stretcher to the ambulance went viral. AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj gave a health update, saying that Atishi had to be admitted to the hospital when her blood sugar dropped to 36.
The team of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, meanwhile, attacked the BJP and charged that the national government was treating Delhi unfairly. They showed support for Atishi and wished her a swift recovery, reiterating their determination to fight for Delhi’s fair share of water. “The people of Delhi will definitely give a reply to the injustice that the BJP government is doing to Delhi,” said Kejriwal’s team in a post on X. For this Satyagraha, every Delhiite is with Atishi ji.”
In response to Delhi’s chronic water crisis, Atishi initiated a hunger strike on June 21. She was admitted to the hospital early on Tuesday after experiencing a dangerously low blood sugar level. Sanjay Singh, an AAP MP, verified that Atishi, who had been fasting for five days, was forced to call off her strike because of her failing health. Singh declared that the matter would be discussed in Parliament with the backing of opposition parties, even though he called off the hunger strike.
Supporters of Atishi expressed serious concerns about her health. Sanjay Singh explained the series of events that culminated in her hospitalisation, stating that she required emergency medical attention after her blood sugar levels dropped to 43 and even as low as 36. Atishi was admitted to the ICU of the LNJP hospital between 3:30 and 4:00 in the morning, and she is still closely monitored there.
Atishi was initially told to seek hospitalization on Tuesday evening, but she declined, according to the hospital’s medical director, Dr. Suresh Kumar. Later that evening, her condition deteriorated significantly more, and she was eventually admitted. Atishi is still receiving blood tests and other essential medical examinations in the intensive care unit (ICU), despite Dr. Kumar’s confirmation that her status is stable.
Atishi went on a hunger strike to express her disapproval of the Haryana government for not providing enough water to the nation’s capital. Though her fast ended prematurely, leaders of the AAP say the battle for Delhi’s water rights is far from done. They intend to take the issue all the way to the federal level in an effort to provide justice and sufficient resources for Delhi’s citizens.
