‘You May Be Celebrity…’: Jagdeep Dhankhar Slams Jaya Bachchan After ‘Unacceptable Tone’ Allegation

New Delhi: Actor-turned-politician Jaya Bachchan and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar had another heated exchange on Friday when Dhankhar referred to her as “Jaya Amitabh Bachchan” during a debate in the Rajya Sabha. An irked Bachchan expressed her displeasure at the Chairman’s “unacceptable tone,” leading to protests from Opposition MPs who subsequently staged a walkout.

Bachchan demanded an apology from Dhankhar, stating, “I am an artist. I understand body language and expressions. But your tone is not right. We are your colleagues, but your tone is unacceptable.”

In response, Dhankhar emphasised the importance of maintaining decorum, regardless of one’s celebrity status, saying, “You may be anybody. You have to understand the decorum. You can be a celebrity but accept decorum.”

Despite the Chairman’s efforts to restore order, Opposition MPs, including Bachchan, left the Upper House in protest. Subsequently, Union Minister JP Nadda, the Leader of the House, moved a censure motion against Bachchan for her remarks targeting Dhankhar.

This incident marks the third confrontation between Dhankhar and Bachchan over the past 10 days regarding the use of “Amitabh” in her name. Previously, on July 29 and August 5, Bachchan had objected to the use of her husband’s name as her middle name, asserting her own identity.