Samajwadi Party member Jaya Bachchan was miffed when Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar called her again by her full official name-Jaya Amitabh Bachchan-and even suggested that by the same logic the name of male members’ wives should be added to their name.
During Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Dhankhar announced that Jaya Amitabh Bachchan ask her supplementary question to Urban and Housing Development Minister Manohar Lal. This had happened a few times earlier as well when Deputy Chairman Harivansh and Dhankhar had called her by her official name. Bachchan is into her second term as Rajya Sabha member and was never called by the Chair by her full name before this session.
Dhankhar had suggested a few days back that Bachchan can follow the laid down rules and make the requisite change in her name. When her full name was called out again on Monday, Bachchan retorted, “Yeh aap logo ne naya drama shuru kiya hai.”
She maintained that she is not against this practice but doing so is “incorrect” as the same is not done for men where the name of their spouse is not mentioned with their name.
As the matter continued, Bachchan said, “Inke (Lal’s) naam ke age inki patni ka naam bhi laga dijiye.” The ex-CM of Haryana, who is single, responded, “I will have to take another birth for it”.
Dhankhar added his bit, saying he often introduces himself as Mr Sudesh. When Bachchan did not get his point, the Vice President explained, “that is my wife’s name.”
Bachchan regretfully replied that she was not aware his wife’s name and moved on to ask her supplementary on water logging in Gurgaon.
