Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan demand an apology from Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday after a contentious exchange over remarks made by BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari.
Bachchan accused Dhankhar of using an inappropriate tone and unfairly silencing the Leader of the Opposition. She voiced her frustration, saying, "I objected to the tone used by the Chair. We are not schoolchildren. 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."
She further criticized the chairman's conduct, saying, "He uses words like nuisance, 'Buddhiheen'. How can you do this? You have to allow the Leader of the Opposition to speak." Bachchan also emphasized her long tenure in Parliament, adding, "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."
Other MPs, including Sonia Gandhi, supported Bachchan's claims. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi defended Bachchan's experience, while TMC MP Dola Sen stressed that Bachchan was representing her role as an elected MP, not as a celebrity.
What Happened in Rajya Sabha?
A heated exchange erupted in the Rajya Sabha between Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan. The confrontation escalated regarding BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari's remarks against Leader of the Opposition.
During the session, Dhankhar called on Bachchan to address the House. Bachchan questioned Dhankhar’s "tone" and faced a stern rebuke. "I Jaya Amitabh Bachchan would like to say that I am an artist, I understand body language, expressions. I am sorry to say that your tone is not acceptable," Bachchan said. She added, "We are colleagues, you may be sitting on the Chair...."
Dhankhar interrupted Bachchan, urging her to take her seat. "Jaya ji, take your seat. You have earned a great reputation. An actor is subject to the director. You are not seeing what I see from here. I am a person who has gone out of the way. Enough of this. You may be a celebrity, but you have to understand decorum," Dhankhar said.
On this, the Opposition members staged a walkout from Rajya Sabha.