Samajwadi Party MP and actor Jaya Bachchan on Friday objected to the “unacceptable tone” used by Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar while addressing Opposition members in the Upper House and demanded an apology from him.

During the proceedings, Vice President Dhankhar accused the Opposition of disrespecting democracy and the Constitution during a heated exchange. He then asked Bachchan to address the House.

In her address, the actor said that as an artist, she understood body language and expressions. “I am sorry to say that your tone is not acceptable,” she told Dhankar. “We are your colleagues. You may be sitting on the chair…”

Advertisement

Bachchan was then interrupted by the chairperson, who asked her to take her seat amid protest from other Opposition MPs.

“You have earned a great reputation,” Dhankhar told the Samajwadi Party MP. “You know an actor is subject to the director. You have not seen what I see from here.”

He added: “But every day, I do not want to repeat myself. Every day, I don’t want to do schooling… You are talking about my tone?... You may be anybody. You may be a celebrity but you have to understand the decorum.”

His comment led to protests by Opposition members. Amid an increasing ruckus, he also accused the Opposition of attempting to “destabilise” the country. “You [Opposition MPs] are determined to have your way at the cost of the Constitution,” Dhankar alleged.

Advertisement

The Opposition members subsequently walked out of the Rajya Sabha.

Flanked by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Bachchan told reporters outside Parliament that she had objected to the tone used by the chairperson. “We are not school children,” the actor said, noting the words used by Dhankar.

“He said you may be a celebrity, I do not care,” she said. “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. The way things are being spoken in Parliament these days, nobody has ever spoken before. I want an apology.”