New Delhi, Dec 20 NDA leaders on Friday condemned Samajwadi Party (SP) Rajya Sabha MP, Jaya Bachchan for her remarks accusing injured BJP MPs and Nagaland BJP MP Phangnon Konyak of "acting" and suggesting they "deserved Oscars" for their performances.
Bachchan's comments came after a heated confrontation in Parliament on Thursday during an INDIA bloc protest against alleged disrespect towards Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
The BJP accused the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, of deliberately pushing BJP MPs Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput, who reportedly sustained injuries.
However, LoP Rahul Gandhi has denied the allegations and was quoted by media reports as saying that he was also pushed during the face-off with the BJP MPs.
Nagaland BJP MP Phangnon Konyak also alleged that the LoP "shouted" at her and came close, leaving her feeling "uncomfortable."
Addressing reporters during the INDIA bloc protest, Bachchan said, "We were proceeding towards the House, but these (NDA) leaders blocked our way at the stairs. If someone gets a slight push in such a situation, it's natural for them to fall."
"Sarangi ji, Rajput ji, and the MP from Nagaland have delivered better performances than I ever did in my acting career. They deserve Oscars and all the awards for their acting. This was as scripted as any film," she added.
Labelling the incident as "man-made," Bachchan accused the BJP of relying on "baseless allegations" to divert from the insult to Dr Ambedkar and the protests over it.
NDA leaders swiftly rebuked the SP MP's remarks, accusing her of insensitivity and undermining women parliamentarians.
Speaking to IANS, BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat said, "She comes from a world where everything seems cinematic to her. She enjoys creating drama, even when the Speaker addresses her by name."
Sehrawat explained that INDIA bloc protests had been ongoing near Parliament gates, with NDA members using side passages.
"Yesterday, for the first time, the NDA demonstrated against the INDIA bloc's cheap politics. Instead of using the safe passage, Rahul Gandhi pushed through the crowd, even though a safe passage was created, causing injuries to our MPs, who had to be hospitalised," she said.
Taking a jab at Bachchan's "deserve Oscars" remark, Sehrawat added, "The people of this country are already awarding the BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term is our award."
LJP (RV) MP, Shambhavi Choudhary condemned Bachchan for questioning Konyak's account, saying, "This reflects her mindset. Parliament is a safe space for women MPs, and if any woman MP raises her voice about feeling uncomfortable, it must be respected. Calling it a drama is highly inappropriate."
"Everything happened on camera. Pratap Sarangi received five stitches, is that a 'drama' too? Such remarks undermine the dignity of women representatives," she told IANS.
Speaking to IANS, Union Minister of State, B.L. Verma, accused LoP Rahul Gandhi of recklessly pushing through the crowd.
"Hundreds of MPs and the media witnessed it. Pratap Sarangi was pushed, and I personally helped Mukesh Rajput, who got hurt," he said.
Verma questioned how Bachchan would react if someone dismissed her injuries as "drama."
"Would she tolerate it if a similar comment was made about her?" he asked.
NDA leaders stressed that the incident, recorded on cameras, speaks for itself and urged the Opposition to uphold parliamentary decorum instead of dismissing serious issues with derogatory remarks.
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