Opposition parties, led by Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi, staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha on Friday afternoon in a significant show of solidarity with Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan, following a heated exchange between her and Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar over the “tone” he used when addressing certain lawmakers.

The incident began when Jaya Bachchan rose to speak in the House, expressing her displeasure with the manner in which Mr. Dhankhar addressed members. “Sir, I, Jaya Amitabh Bachchan, want to say this… I am an actor. I understand body language and expression, and forgive me, but your tone is not acceptable,” Ms. Bachchan said, to applause from some members.

Mr. Dhankhar, visibly irritated, interrupted her, saying, “Jayaji, you have earned a great reputation. But you know the actor is subject to the director… I don’t want a schooling. No… no… enough of this…” He also pointed out that Ms. Bachchan, a renowned actor, should understand the decorum of the House.

Following the exchange, Ms. Bachchan, speaking to reporters after the walkout, described the experience as “humiliating” and criticized the treatment of opposition MPs, contrasting it with the leeway given to those from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “Whatever is said from the Chair… is allowed. Outside the Chair, the individual is like us… an MP. I objected to the tone used by the Chair. We are not schoolchildren, and some of us are even senior citizens. I was upset with the tone… especially when the Leader of the Opposition (Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge) stood up to speak, he (the Chair) switched the mic off,” she said.

Ms. Bachchan also highlighted the use of unparliamentary language in the House, citing terms like “nuisance” and “you may be a celebrity but I don’t care,” as examples of disrespect. “I am not asking him to care! Nobody has ever spoken the way they do now in Parliament. What is the problem? It is so disrespectful to women,” she asserted firmly. Ms. Bachchan has demanded an apology from the Chair.

The walkout saw opposition MPs, led by Sonia Gandhi and Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien, gather outside Parliament in a show of unity, with several members later voicing their support for Ms. Bachchan.

Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh told reporters that opposition MPs have been repeatedly insulted in Parliament and denied a fair chance to speak. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi emphasized Ms. Bachchan’s “vast parliamentary experience… more than the Vice President,” while her Trinamool Congress colleague, Dola Sen, pointed out that Ms. Bachchan is a four-time MP and deserves respect.

Priyanka Chaturvedi further stated, “She (Jaya Bachchan) comes with much more experience than the Vice President himself. He cannot disrespect a Member of Parliament.”