On Friday, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar had a heated confrontation with Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan, who criticized his tone in the House, calling it “unacceptable.” Dhankhar, in turn, reacted strongly, advising Bachchan not to attempt to “school” him and stating that even celebrities must observe decorum in the House.
The video of their exchange, which occurred just before the Upper House was adjourned, has since gone viral on social media, with many drawing parallels to their own experiences with demanding bosses.
The altercation occurred during a debate when the Opposition clashed with Chairman Dhankhar over remarks made by BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari about Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Tiwari’s comment that Kharge’s “entire family is in politics” led to Congress MPs requesting that the remarks be removed from the record. Amid the chaos, Bachchan addressed Dhankhar’s tone directly.
Bachchan commented, “I am an artiste. I understand body language and expressions. But your tone is not right. We are your colleagues, and your tone is unacceptable.”
In response, Dhankhar fired back, “I don’t need schooling… You may be anybody. You may be a celebrity, but you have to understand the decorum… I do not follow anyone else’s script. I have my own script. I am not operated by anyone.”