AAP flags Satyendar Jain's weight loss, BJP says 'emotional blackmail'
A war of words ensued between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after AAP leader and former Delhi cabinet minister Satyendar Jain looked feeble during his recent visit to Safdarjung Hospital. The AAP called Jain's weight loss "an illustration of torture," while the BJP said he used to be overweight and "it's good to lose weight."
Why does this story matter?
Jain has been lodged in Tihar jail since May last year in an alleged money laundering case. The AAP termed his arrest a misuse of investigative agencies by the BJP-led Centre. Last week, Jain's counsel told the Supreme Court that Jain lost 35 kg in jail, while the BJP claims he has been illegally living a luxurious life inside.
Jain suffering from sleep apnea, spinal injury: AAP
Jain was taken to Safdarjung Hospital on Monday after he complained of severe back pain. A wilted Jain was seen in the hospital with a belt strapped around his waist. He was reportedly treated for a spinal injury after he fell in a jail washroom. In a statement, the AAP said he was suffering from sleep apnea and "needed a BiPAP machine while sleeping."
Jain gave Mohalla Clinics, worked selflessly during pandemic: AAP
AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh questioned the BJP for "mocking" Jain's condition. He said Jain gave the world the model of Mohalla Clinics and worked for the people of Delhi during the COVID-19 pandemic "without a care for his own health."
It's good to lose weight: BJP
Reacting to Jain's weight loss, Delhi BJP leader Vijendra Gupta said that Jain was overweight earlier. "It is good to lose weight, losing weight is a matter of how you manage your body," he said. Gupta said that before being jailed, Jain told him that he lost 20kg, which he attributed to having food just once a day, as per his Jain religious belief.
Emotional blackmail, not depression: BJP
Earlier this month, Jain requested a jail superintendent to shift two inmates to his cell, claiming that a doctor recommended more social interactions to cure his depression and loneliness. Trashing the claims of depression, Gupta said, "First you indulge in corruption and then you resort to emotional blackmail. This is not justified. This is an attempt to divert attention from the main issue."
Videos showed Jain getting massage, having fruit salad in jail
In November, CCTV videos from the jail surfaced showing Jain getting a massage from a rape accused. Other videos showed Jain having fruit salad, contrary to his complaint about the jail's food quality, while another video showed three people visiting Jain. Several BJP leaders also shared videos on social media in which people were seen cleaning Jain's cell. They alleged he was living luxuriously.
