Sidhu's special jail diet: Lactose-free milk, chia seeds and more

Former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is currently serving a one-year sentence in Patiala jail for a road rage case, has been recommended a diet chart considering his medical condition. The special diet has been prescribed after an analysis of his health.

Sidhu had earlier moved an application before the court of Patiala chief judicial magistrate (CJM) on Friday, the day he surrendered in the 34-year-old case, seeking permission for a special diet to be made available to him from home given his health complications.

The court of CJM Amit Malhan had ordered the constitution of a board of doctors at Rajindra Hospital in Patiala to examine Sidhu and submit a report.

The panel comprising dietician Dr Ramanjit Kaur, Dr Ashish Kumar Bhagat, a professor in department of medicine, and Dr Saurabh Sharma, assistant professor in cardiology department, has prescribed a diet chart recommending seven meals a day for the cricketer-turned-politician based on his health condition.

Sidhu's breakfast includes rosemary tea, white petha juice or coconut water. For breakfast, he is to be given a cup of lactose-free milk; one tablespoon of flax, sunflower, melon or chia seeds; five or six almonds, one walnut, and two pecan nuts.

Lunch features one chappati of 30 gm comprising sorghum, singhara and ragi flour in equal quantity with one bowl each of seasonal green vegetable and of cucumber and ghia raita or one bowl of beet root raita, a green salad bowl of cucumber, tomato, kakri, lettuce leaves and half lemon, and one glass of lassi.

For dinner, Sidhu will be served a bowl of mixed vegetable and dal soup/black chana soup with a 200 gm bowl sprinkled with black pepper powder and consisting of sauteed vegetables (carrot, beans, broccoli, mushroom, bell pepper).

He is also given chamomile tea.

Needless to say, this is far the norm regarding meals served in prisons in India, and highlights the unequal treatment meted out to the privileged and powerful.

Sidhu's diet chart has been termed a “seven-star hotel menu” by a jails department official, reported OpIndia.