"We're not school kids": Jaya Bachchan's retorts to Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar

Tensions flared in the Rajya Sabha today as opposition members raised concerns over the skipping of a question during the Question Hour. The uproar ensued after Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar's remarks regarding a Congress leader's inquiry. The incident prompted a sharp retort from Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan, emphasizing the need for respectful treatment of members.

During the commotion, Ms. Bachchan, along with Deepinder Singh Hooda of the Congress and other opposition members, stood up to question Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh regarding the skipped question on aviation.

Chairman Dhankhar intervened, urging the opposition members to take their seats and assuring them that the skipped question would be addressed later. However, tensions escalated when Mr. Hooda persisted in his protest, leading Dhankhar to remark, "You are not her (Ms. Bachchan's) spokesperson. She herself is a very senior member."


Seeking to ease the situation, Dhankhar later clarified that the skipped question would be addressed after the completion of the ongoing proceedings. He acknowledged Ms. Bachchan's seniority and expressed willingness to address her concerns, stating, "Jaya Bachchan ji is a very senior member, and if she has a sentiment, then it is bound to be serious with me."

When Ms. Bachchan sought to speak, Chairman Dhankhar interjected, acknowledging her seniority and remarking on her esteemed reputation, but Ms. Bachchan insisted on being allowed to voice her perspective, emphasizing the importance of respectful treatment of members.

"If you or the deputy chairman ask us to sit, we will, but we won't do so when another member gestures at us and tells us to sit. It is our right to question. You tell us you can't take up a question or that there is a problem and it will be taken up later, we understand, we are not schoolchildren. But treat us respectfully," she said.

In response to Ms. Bachchan's remarks, Chairman Dhankhar struck a conciliatory tone, acknowledging the validity of her sentiment and reiterating the importance of adherence to parliamentary rules and decorum.
In a parliamentary setting marked by robust exchanges, this incident underscores the significance of respectful communication and adherence to established protocols to maintain decorum and foster productive deliberations.