NEW DELHI, 25 July 2006 — Jaya Bachchan, the lone legislator to have been pushed out of the Parliament on the controversial Office-of-Profit issue, displayed no reservations yesterday in making a grand show of her return to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament. Her husband, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan was present at her swearing-in ceremony.
Jaya was disqualified this year in March for holding an Office-of-Profit as chairwoman of Uttar Pradesh Film Development Council. She was elected unopposed in June in by-elections to Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh on the Samajwadi Party ticket. That the lady still nurses grievances against Congress party on her being the only one to have been pushed out of the legislature on the controversial issue was evident in her comments.
“The decision to remove me from my post was taken hastily,” she said. “So why are other members’ cases being delayed and discussed at length? I have returned because the people are intelligent enough to understand this. Our citizens are aware of the politics that is being played.”
As soon as the news of her husband’s presence in the Parliament House spread, security was thrown almost out of gear, as the superstar was mobbed by a large number of onlookers as well as media persons. He flew in from London, taking a break from a movie’s shooting just to attend his wife’s swearing-in ceremony, to return back for the shooting today.
Amitabh watched the ceremony from the third row in Rajya Sabha’s visitors’ gallery. Though as soon as he entered the gallery, a few persons rose to offer their seats, Amitabh simply thanked them saying he was comfortable in the third row. He also signed a few autographs and acknowledged several greetings with folded hands.
Soon after the House was adjourned, it was not easy for Amitabh to leave the precincts of Parliament with crowd gathered around him. As soon as Jaya came out of the House, he gave her a big hug. Their daughter Shweta was also present there.
Amitabh had been a Congress legislator from Allahabad in the eighties, but after having resigned his seat has since chosen to stay out of politics. Jaya, however, has refused to quit politics despite having been unceremoniously shown the exit door of the Parliament.
Crediting SP for her return to Parliament, Jaya said: “Leaders in my party are known for their steadfastness. They don’t abandon their members after including them in the party ranks. It is a different matter, if members decide to quit party on their own.”
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh and SP Secretary-General Amar Singh were also present for Jaya’s swearing-in ceremony. Bachchan family was seen leaving the Parliament premises in company of these leaders.
