New Delhi: In a heated exchange during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar clashed with Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan, leading to a dramatic walkout by the Opposition. The confrontation began when Bachchan expressed displeasure over Dhankhar’s tone while addressing her.
As Dhankhar invited Bachchan to speak, referring to her by her full name, Bachchan stood up and commented, “I am an artiste, I understand body language and expressions,” before questioning Dhankhar’s tone. “Pardon me for saying this, but your tone…” she said, adding, “We are colleagues, sir. You may be sitting on the chair, but that does not mean you will school us.”
Dhankhar, who looked visibly agitated by her remarks, responded saying, “Jaya ji, you have earned a great reputation. You know, an actor is subject to the director… I don’t want to do schooling. You are talking about my tone?”
He further added, “You may be a celebrity, but you have to understand the decorum. You think only you bring reputation to the House?”
Bachchan demanded an apology from Dhankhar, stating, “I need an apology from the Chair.” The situation escalated as protests mounted from the Opposition benches, ultimately leading to a walkout led by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.
Speaking to the media, Bachchan expressed her frustration with the proceedings. “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. How can you do this?” she questioned.
