Deputy Commissioner of Police Jayant Bajbale told reporters that police are examining the role of the concerned policeman and suitable action will be taken

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed confidence today that the BJP will win all 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh. The big promise is the victory in Chhindwara – which has been a Congress bastion for around 40 years. This, he said, will be possible because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “track record”.

Chhindwara is the constituency of former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, from where the Congress has fielded his son Nakul Nath. Even in 2014, when the BJP came to power across the country, Chhindwara had voted for the Congress. Ditto in 2019, when the party increased its numbers to 303.

This time would be different because of the “Modi-ki guarantee,” Mr Yadav told NDTV in an exclusive interview with Editor-in-chief Sanjay Pugalia. 

“People have seen PM Modi’s 10 year track record. We have people’s support. There is no anti-incumbency factor against Modi,” he said, citing last year’s assembly election, in which the BJP won a massive victory despite a buzz about anti-incumbency.  

“We will win Chhindawara too. People are very happy with PM’s work,” he added.
 
This is also borne out by voteshare, he said. From 44 per cent, it went up to 48 per cent in the assembly election. The party had won 58 per cent votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, with 28 of the 29 seats. “We will definitely get more this time,” he said.

The Congress, he added, is well aware of its imminent defeat. It became clear when they gave away the Khajuraho seat to the Samajwadi Party, he added. 

Asked about the issues and narratives for this election, Mr Yadav said the party has a “straight plan”. 

“Like PM Modi says, double engine Sarkar — like interlinking of river projects that will benefit the region. There are a lot of projects where we have benefitted from central government’s help,” he added.
 

Delhi’s Tihar jail is like a city but it does not work in a vaccum, Sanjay Beniwal, the jail’s Director General, said today in the backdrop of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s allegation that he is not being administered insulin. His party has alleged a conspiracy to murder him. Speaking to NDTV in an exclusive interview, Mr Beniwal said Tihar has around 1,000 diabetics and they are given food and medication according to the advice of senior doctors, including those from AIIMS and Ram Manohar Lohia hospital.

“We usually face such pressure, we have a habit of tolerating it, it is part of life,” he told NDTV. 

Mr Kejriwal has gone to court alleging that he is being deprived of insulin since his arrest on March 21 in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case. His request for a video call with a private practitioner has been denied by the special court in Delhi that is hearing the case. 

His Aam Aadmi Party, meanwhile, has held protests outside the Tihar jail.

Calling the allegations “baseless”, Mr Beniwal said they will follow the instructions of the court.

“Whatever allegations AAP is making, we have answered them very well in court,” Mr Beniwal said. “Whatever questions the court has asked us, we have also answered them very well. We all accept what the court says. Why are they making all these allegations? Only he should answer,” he said.  

“Do you think slow poison can be given in jail? Do you yourself think this is possible?” Mr Beniwal added.

“Around 900 to 1000 prisoners in our jail are suffering from diabetes. Some are given medicines, some insulin, some need something else… our government-appointed senior doctors do all this,” he said.

Explaining the existing practice under the jail manual, he said when someone’s illness is serious, “we take the advice from the referral hospital, which is outside the jail”.

“Our referral hospitals include AIIMS, RML and other hospitals. This is a normal process for all prisoners. There is no A B C D category for any particular prisoner,” he added.