Jaya Bachchan’s RS ‘Outburst’: How BJP Underestimated a Seasoned MP
The winter session of Parliament ended on an ominous note, with Samajwadi Party’s film actor MP, Jaya Bachchan, putting a curse on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “Your bad days are coming. I curse you. I curse you,” she shrieked after a stormy exchange with BJP MPs, and, unusually, with the Chair, which she virtually accused of being biased in favour of the ruling party.
Even for Jaya Bachchan, known for stirring up controversies with her outspoken ways, her reaction to the heckling from the treasury benches was over-the-top and certainly unbecoming of a senior parliamentarian.
Yet, can she be blamed when the polity around her is so bitterly divided, the standards of political discourse have crashed and government investigative agencies are being blatantly used for a political agenda every time a crucial election rolls around?
A Jittery BJP in UP
Jaya Bachchan’s outburst came on a day when her daughter-in-law, Aishwarya Rai, was being interrogated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a case that is at least eight years old but remained dormant till now, when the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are looming and the BJP seems to be jittery about the rising challenge from the Samajwadi Party (SP).
It also came a few days after Income Tax authorities raided leaders known to be close to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, in yet another instance of poll-related intimidation by the strong arm of the state.
There was undoubtedly a personal angle to Jaya Bachchan’s explosion. But if the powers-that-be thought that they could cow her down into submissive silence – like much of Bollywood – with an attack close to home, they clearly underestimated this feisty actor-turned-MP.
Bachchan has also proved her political skills by the ease with which she has managed husband Amitabh Bachchan’s connections with Modi and her membership of SP. Amitabh Bachchan remains a brand ambassador for Gujarat Tourism and Narendra Modi’s signature Swachch Bharat Mission.
In a way, Bachchan took on the mantle from co-actor Shabana Azmi, who ruffled feathers during her stint as an SP parliamentarian in the Rajya Sabha. Azmi’s tenure ended in 2003, much to the relief of the more conservative elements who disapproved of Bollywood celebrities muscling their way into the hallowed precincts of Parliament on the strength of their glamour quotient.
Unfortunately, for the fuddy-duddies, Bachchan was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an SP leader a year later in 2004 and has been going strong ever since to disprove their contention that glamour and politics don’t mix. While she made her mark with strong speeches on subjects like malnutrition and transgender rights, she is best remembered for the manner in which she took on the BJP on two occasions.
Attacking him for tarnishing the image of Bollywood by tarring the industry with one brush, she accused him of biting the hand that feeds him. “Jis thaali mein khate hain, usi mein chhed karte hain,” she declared.
The speech landed her in a war of words with Kishan but drew her widespread applause from the film industry, which appreciated her for speaking up for it. There was high praise from Azmi as well, who lauded Bachchan for her candour and punch.