AAP’s Paani Satyagrah Ended: Atishi ends ‘fast’ claiming her health deteriorated

Delhi Water Minister Atishi ended her hunger strike on Tuesday, June 25, after being hospitalised due to deteriorating health, according to reports.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh announced that he will be writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that Delhi receives its rightful share of water from Haryana. “The issue will also be raised by AAP and its political allies,” Singh stated during a media briefing.

Atishi began her hunger strike on June 21 amid the ongoing Delhi water crisis. She was hospitalised early on Tuesday after her blood sugar levels dropped significantly. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party reported that Atishi was admitted to the emergency ICU at Lok Nayak Hospital in the national capital.

“Water Minister Atishi’s health deteriorated. Her blood sugar level dropped to 43 at midnight and to 36 at 3 am, after which LNJP hospital doctors advised immediate hospitalisation… She has not eaten anything for the last five days and is on an indefinite hunger strike demanding the Haryana government release Delhi’s share of water. She’s been admitted to the emergency ICU at LNJP. We pray for her speedy recovery,” the party stated in a post on X.

The hospital’s medical director, Dr. Suresh Kumar, later informed that while Atishi had been in the ICU, her condition was stable. “Her sugar levels declined, and the presence of ketones was detected in her urine. At midnight, as her condition deteriorated and she became drowsy, she was admitted. She is currently stable and in the ICU. Her blood tests are being conducted,” Dr. Kumar said.

Residents of Delhi have been struggling with a severe water shortage exacerbated by the scorching heat. In response, Atishi began her hunger strike, demanding that the Haryana government increase its water supply to the national capital. She alleged that since the start of her protest, the BJP government in Haryana had reduced its water supply to Delhi.

According to Atishi, Delhi’s water requirement is 1,005 million gallons per day (MGD), of which 613 MGD comes from neighbouring Haryana. However, she claimed that Haryana had been sending only 513 MGD of water.

The BJP held a counter-protest in Okhla, with the party’s former Lok Sabha member from Delhi, Ramesh Bidhuri, blaming the AAP government for the water crisis. Delhi police used water cannons to disperse the BJP protesters after they refused to move.

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva criticised Atishi’s protest as an “insult to the satyagraha movement” and accused the Minister of staging a “five-star satyagraha,” claiming that she has been sitting on the stage at the protest site for only four hours and spending the remaining time “in an air-conditioned room behind the stage.” He added, “If Atishi genuinely believes there is a water shortage in Delhi and Haryana is not providing additional water, she should request water from her party’s government in Punjab.”

Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav commented that the Delhi government should not indulge in “gimmicks” like the Jal Satyagraha. “Atishi has turned her dharna into a publicity stunt, orchestrated by event managers, which is not the right way. If there is a water crisis, patient negotiations with parties, including the Haryana government, are essential,” he said.