NEW DELHI, Aug 9: A heated exchange unfolded in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, involving Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan. The disagreement centered on Dhankhar’s “tone” during Bachchan’s attempt to speak, with tensions escalating when the Opposition staged a walkout in response.
The confrontation began when Bachchan, addressing an ongoing debate between the Opposition and Dhankhar regarding remarks made by BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari about Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, criticized the Chairman’s tone. Dhankhar had initially permitted Bachchan to speak, addressing her as “Jaya Amitabh Bachchan.”
Bachchan took the floor, stating, “I, Jaya Amitabh Bachchan, want to say, I am an artist. I understand body language and expressions. Forgive me but your tone is not acceptable. We are colleagues, Sir. You may be sitting in the Chair, and I remember when I went to school…”
Dhankhar, visibly irritated, interjected sharply, “Enough of it. You may be anybody, you may be a celebrity, you have to understand the decorum, no, nothing doing…Never carry an impression that only you build reputations…We live up to reputations, nothing doing.”
The exchange continued with Dhankhar defending his stance, stating that even a senior MP does not have the right to undermine the authority of the Chair. He asserted that maintaining decorum was crucial and emphasized his respect for all members, including Kharge, who had attempted to speak.
In the aftermath, Bachchan voiced her grievances to reporters, expressing her discontent with both the tone of the Chairman and the turning off of Kharge’s microphone when he tried to address the House. She argued that such actions were against parliamentary tradition and accused members from the Treasury benches of using unparliamentary language.
“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, his mic was switched off. How can you do this? This is against the tradition. You have to allow the leader,” Bachchan said.
The incident underscores ongoing tensions within the Rajya Sabha and raises questions about parliamentary decorum and the conduct of its members.
