Veteran Bollywood actress and
Samajwadi Party
MP
Jaya Bachchan
found herself at the centre of controversy after she expressed her views over being addressed as ‘Jaya
Amitabh Bachchan
’ in
Parliament
.
The actress and MP had social media abuzz when a video from Parliament saw her stating her preference at being called just ‘Jaya Bachchan’ instead of her full name which bore her husband’s name as her middle name.
Her reaction sparked a debate over the ‘misogynistic’ way of addressing a Member of Parliament.
Amidst the debate, images of Jaya’s
Rajya Sabha
nomination form, which lists her full name soon went viral online. Many took to their handles to share the actress’ 2018 nomination form, which features a government official stamp and lists her name as ‘Jaya Amitabh Bachchan.’
Her husband, Amitabh Bachchan’s name also appears in the document. It was listed as ‘
Amitabh Harivanshrai Bachchan
’.
Social media users quickly pointed out the discrepancy, with some criticising Jaya for her strong reaction despite having used her husband’s name in official documents. One user questioned, “Why call it ‘Naya Tareeka’ when you yourself used that ‘Tareeka’ officially?” Another highlighted, “Jaya Bachchan in her Rajya Sabha affidavit has written her name- Jaya Amitabh Bachchan. The same name is on the Rajya Sabha website.” The viral documents soon gave way to ‘Jaya Amitabh Bachchan,’ trending on social media.
During a session in Parliament, Jaya objected to Deputy Chairman
Harivansh Narayan Singh
addressing her with her husband’s name, saying, “Sir, sirf Jaya Bachchan bolte toh kafi hojata (only Jaya Bachchan would have sufficed).”
She further criticised the practice of identifying women by their husbands’ names, saying, “Ye jo hain kuch naya tarika hain ki mahilaayin apni pati ke naam se jaani jaye. Unka koi astitva nahi. Unki koi upalabdhi nahi hain, apne mein aur astitva nahi hain. Ye jo naya shuru hua hain… (This is something new, that women will be recognised by the name of their husbands…they (women) have no identity; they have no achievements, no identity of their own. This new thing that has started…).”
Jaya married Amitabh on June 3, 1973. The veteran star has a distinguished career in both film and politics representing the Samajwadi Party since 2004, advocating for various social causes, including women’s rights.
Jaya Bachchan Expresses Displeasure Over Being Called ‘Jaya Amitabh Bachchan’ In Parliament: ‘As If Women Have No Identity’
