Jaya Bachchan and Jagdeep Dhankar: The budget session of Parliament has witnessed the House getting disrupted every day, with frequent uproar in both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. Today was a day when the upper house witnessed a real scorching battle of words between SP MP Jaya Bachchan and the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Jaya Bachchan Criticizes Chairman Dhankhar’s Tone
The altercation broke out when Jaya Bachchan lambasted the tone of Chairman Dhankhar while conducting the proceedings. Pointing finger at Dhankhar, Bachchan said, “Your tone is not right and who are you to scold me?” This statement went viral in no time amid heated debate from political circles.
The controversy deepened when Bachchan, followed by other opposition MPs walked out from the Rajya Sabha. Speaking to the media, Bachchan ventured to express her anger over the mannerisms of the Chairman and pointed out that when an opposition leader wanted to speak and the microphone was switched off. She said, “We are not school children. When the opposition leader stood up to speak, they switched off the mike. How can you do this? You should allow the opposition leader to speak.”
Parliamentary Norms Challenged
She went on further to criticize the use of language by the Chairperson and wondered if words such as “rowdy” and “brainless” were apt. “You may be a celebrity but it does not matter to me. I am telling her that I am a member of Parliament and this is my fifth term. The way things are being said in Parliament these days, this would have never happened before,” she said.
Chairman Defends His Actions
Vice-President and Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Jagdeep Dhankhar adopted a stern pose in response. “I know how to deal with this. You have achieved a great reputation and you know that an actor also acts on the instructions of the director,” reproached he, Bachchan. “You can’t see what I see from here.” He went on to say, “I’m a man who doesn’t go out of the way to say such things, but you went to my tone, my tone. I avoided it a lot. You may be someone, you are a celebrity, but you have to understand decorum. I won’t tolerate this. “Do not think that it is only your reputation, whoever is sitting here also has a reputation.”
The Bachchan-Dhankhar Clash
Dhankhar responded to assert the fact that it was a question of upholding parliamentary decorum, no matter how great one’s status in society or their reputation. His comments—that everyone, no matter how big, has to stick to the norms of the House—further escalated the controversy.
The Bachchan-Dhankhar battle is a reflection of continuing tensions within the Rajya Sabha and mirrors issues of parliamentary decorum and opposition voices against legislative processes. As this dramatic episode unfolds, it continues to engage public and media attention, reflecting the volatile nature of current political discourse within India’s Parliament.
