 "RS Speaker Jagdeep Dhankar and SP MP Jaya Bachchan. PTI file")
Rajya Sabha Speaker Jagdeep Dhankar and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan had a heated exchange in the upper house on Friday leading to a walkout by the Opposition.
The actress-turned-politician accused Dhankar, the vice president, of disrespecting her. Opposition leaders, including Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi, supported Bachchan, in her protest against the speaker’s behaviour.
Here’s what the SP MP claimed:
Bachchan said that the RS Speaker used “unparliamentary” language against her and called her ‘buddhiheen’ (mindless) and a ’nuisance’.
“I objected to the tone used by the Chair. 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, he switched off the mike,” she added.
“He (Dhankar) said ‘I don’t care if you are a celebrity’. 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 leader further said.
What did Dhankar say?
“Jaya ji take your seat. You have earned a great reputation. An actor is a subject to the director. You are not seeing what I see from here. I am a person who has gone out of the way. Enough of this. You may be a celebrity, but you have to understand decorum,” the Speaker said.