In a heated exchange in the Rajya Sabha, actor-turned-politician Jaya Bachchan clashed with Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, accusing him of speaking to her in an “unacceptable” tone and showing disrespect. This confrontation led to protests from opposition members, culminating in a walkout led by Congress stalwart Sonia Gandhi.
Addressing the Upper House on Friday, Jaya Bachchan, a Samajwadi Party MP, expressed her disapproval of Jagdeep Dhankhar’s tone, stating that as an actor, she understands body language and expressions, and found his manner of speaking to be unacceptable. This was the second time this week that Jaya Bachchan was introduced by Jagdeep Dhankhar as “Jaya Amitabh Bachchan,” a practice she strongly disapproves of.
Jaya Amitabh Bachchan says "I am an actor I Understand face expression and your Tone was not good."
VP Jagdeep Dhankhar, "You know an actor is a subject to the director you have not seen what I see from here."#RajyaSabha #JayaBachchan #JagdeepDhankharpic.twitter.com/BpumQKV2ST
— Pooja Sangwan 🇮🇳 (@ThePerilousGirl) August 9, 2024
“I am 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 said.
In response, Jagdeep Dhankhar retorted, “Jaya ji, you have earned a great reputation. You know an actor is subject to the director. But everyday I do not want to repeat myself. Everyday I don’t want to do schooling. You are talking about my tone? Enough of it. You may be anybody. You have to understand the decorum. You can be a celebrity but accept decorum.”
जया बच्चन ने राज्यसभा सभापति से माफ़ी माँगी। पीछे सोनिया गांधी खड़ी है।
आज राज्यसभा में जया बच्चन ने सभापति के टोन पर सवाल उठाया तो सभापति ने उन्हें शिष्टाचार में रहने की हिदायत दी
pic.twitter.com/0gImkg2K5b— Narendra Nath Mishra (@iamnarendranath) August 9, 2024
After walking out of the Rajya Sabha, Jaya Bachchan further criticized 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 and especially when the Leader of Opposition stood up to speak, he switched off the mike. How can you do this? You have to allow the Leader of Opposition to speak…I mean using unparliamentary words every time which I do not want to say in front of you all. You are a nuisance, ‘Buddhiheen’,” she told reporters.
Jaya Bachchan was accompanied by Sonia Gandhi and other senior Opposition leaders. She added, “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, nobody has ever spoken before. I want an apology.”
