New Delhi: The physician for Chandrashekhar Aazad, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail on 14-day judicial custody for allegedly giving a provocative speech during anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests, has alleged that the Bhim Army leader is being denied healthcare in prison.
“This is human and a clear violation of human rights. Everyone have right to access medical care (sic),” said Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti.
He requested Union home minister Amit Shah to allow Aazad to get admitted to AIIMS, failing which the leader may suffer a cardiac arrest.
Bhatti took to Twitter to say that Aazad has a medical condition that requires a biweekly phlebotomy – a surgical exercise also known as venipuncture to remove blood for certain circulatory system disorders. The physician said Aazad has been under treatment for his condition for over a year now.
“He (Azad) is suffering from a disease which requires biweekly phlebotomy from AIIMS, New Delhi under Haematology Department from where he is under treatment from last 1 years. If not done then his blood might get thicker which may results into sudden cardiac arrest or stroke. I was told that Chandrashekar bhai repeatedly told Delhi police about his medical condition in Tihar jail but the police authorities are not allowing him to visit AIIMS (SIC),” he said in his tweets.
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I am writing this as a physician of @BhimArmyChief Chandrashekar Bhai. He is suffering from a disease which requires biweekly phlebotomy from AIIMS, New Delhi under Haematology Department from where he is under treatment from last 1 years (1/n) pic.twitter.com/ReO6Pmphfi— Harjit Singh Bhatti (@DrHarjitBhatti) January 3, 2020
Azad was sent to custody after a Delhi court rejected his bail plea, in a case related to violence in Daryaganj during anti-CAA demonstrations. Although Aazad was not present at the site of violence, he has been accused of making a provocative speech which precipitated a riot-like situation.
Bhim Army leaders, however, claim that the police has lodged a false FIR, and in reality, Aazad only appealed for peaceful protests and categorically asked the protesting people to refrain from any form of violence. The outfit has since organised multiple protests and has been demanding Aazad’s immediate release.