Jaya Bachchan and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar clashed again after the veteran actress-turned-politician accused the Vice President of addressing her in a disrespectful and “unacceptable” tone. The exchange led to protests from opposition members, who, led by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, eventually walked out of the Rajya Sabha.
During Friday’s session, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan expressed her displeasure with Jagdeep Dhankhar’s manner of speaking, emphasizing that, as an actor, she is well-versed in interpreting body language and found his tone inappropriate. This marked the second instance that week where Dhankhar introduced her as “Jaya Amitabh Bachchan,” a practice she strongly opposed.
“As an artiste, I understand body language and expressions. But your tone is not right. We are your colleagues, but your tone is unacceptable,” Jaya Bachchan remarked.
In response, Jagdeep Dhankhar retorted, “Jaya ji, you have earned a great reputation. You know that an actor is subject to the director. But I don’t want to repeat myself every day. I don’t want to be in a position of schooling every day. You are talking about my tone? Enough of it. You may be anybody, but you have to understand the decorum. You can be a celebrity, but you must respect the decorum.”
After walking out of the Rajya Sabha, Jaya Bachchan continued her criticism of the Chairman. “I objected to the tone used by the Chair. We are not school children. Some of us are senior citizens. I was upset with the tone, especially when the Leader of Opposition stood up to speak, and the microphone was switched off. How can you do this? The Leader of Opposition must be allowed to speak. I mean, using unparliamentary words every time, which I do not want to repeat. You are a nuisance, ‘Buddhiheen’,” she told reporters.
Jaya Bachchan was joined by Sonia Gandhi and other senior Opposition leaders during the walkout.
“He said, ‘You may be a celebrity, I do not care.’ I am not asking him to care. I am saying I am a Member of Parliament. This is my fifth term. I know what I am saying. The way things are being spoken in Parliament these days, no one has ever spoken like this before. I want an apology,” Jaya Bachchan demanded.
