'Need An Apology', Jaya Bachchan Questions 'Chair's Tone'; VP Dhankar Reminds 'Maintain Decorum'

New Delhi: Days after a light-hearted exchange in the Rajya Sabha, veteran actress Jaya Bachchan and RS Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar were seen engaging in a heated war of words. Speaking in the upper house, the actor-turned-politician raised a question on Dhankhar's 'tone', sparking a strong reaction from the Chairman. 

Expressing her disapproval, the Samajwadi Party MP said, "I Jaya Amitabh Bachchan would like to say that I am an artist, I understand body language, and expressions. I am sorry to say that your tone is not acceptable. We are colleagues, you may be sitting on the Chair...."

Dhankhar interrupted Bachchan, insisting she take her seat. "You have earned a great reputation. You know, an actor is subject to the director. You have not seen what I see from here every day. I don't want to repeat, I am a person who has gone out of his way and you say my tone. You may be a celebrity, you have to understand the decorum", Dhankar said.

Later, Jaya and other Opposition walked out of the Upper House. "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? You should allow the Leader of the Opposition to speak...I mean using unparliamentary words every time which I do not want to say in front of you all. You are a nuisance, 'Buddhiheen'. He said you may be a celebrity, I do not care. 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 need an apology...", said Jaya, talking to reporters outside the Parliament. 

Last week, Jaya Bachchan’s playful self-introduction as ‘Jaya Amitabh Bachchan’ drew a hearty laugh from Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. Despite her previous discomfort with being addressed by her husband's name, Bachchan used it humorously during the session, leading Dhankhar and several MPs, including Congress’ Jairam Ramesh and AAP’s Raghav Chadha, to laugh along.

The light-hearted exchange continued with Bachchan jesting, “Did you skip lunch today? You seem to be mentioning Jairam Ji repeatedly because you can't digest your food without it.” Dhankhar responded with a grin, “I didn’t take a lunch break today, but I did have lunch with Jairam Ji,” further amusing the house. He added, “This might be the first time I’m both yours and Amitabh Ji’s fan.”

This playful moment followed Bachchan’s earlier objection to being addressed as “Jaya Amitabh Bachchan” by Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, where she expressed her discomfort about women being recognized by their husbands' names rather than their own achievements.