‘Priyanka, Don’t Try to Control Me’: Jaya Bachchan Snaps at Shiv Sena MP During Op Sindoor Discussion
Samajwadi Party MP and veteran actor Jaya Bachchan triggered a controversy in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday by raising objections over the name Operation Sindoor. She remarked that the sindoor (vermilion) of several women had been “wiped away” due to the Pahalgam terror attack, which prompted sharp reactions from BJP members.
While speaking in the Upper House, Jaya Bachchan began by expressing condolences to the families of those killed in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. “It felt more like a movie script to me—the way the terrorists came and killed so many innocent people, and there was no immediate response. It felt unreal,” she said.
“I must applaud the government for hiring such talented writers who come up with dramatic names. Why was the operation named ‘Sindoor’? The sindoor of those women, whose husbands were killed, has already been wiped away,” she added, which led to loud protests from some MPs in the House.
As several BJP leaders began interrupting her speech, Bachchan appeared visibly upset. BJP MP Surendra Singh Nagar, who was presiding over the session, reminded her to address the Chair: “Jaya ji, please speak through the Chair. Your statements will be recorded accordingly.”
To this, Jaya Bachchan replied, “Either let me speak or you speak. I won’t tolerate interruptions. I never cut anyone off when they speak, especially women. So please, watch your words.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, seated beside Bachchan, tried to pacify her. However, the attempt backfired when Jaya Bachchan retorted sharply, “Priyanka, don’t try to control me,” prompting Chaturvedi to respond with a nervous smile.
Jaya Bachchan also criticised the government for failing to prevent the attack and called it a major lapse in intelligence. “You’ve broken the trust of the people who voted for you and believed in your promises,” she said in her address.
Her comments on the operation’s name drew criticism from the BJP. Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla responded, saying, “Look at their thinking. The terrorists wiped away sindoor, but sindoor is not merely a decorative mark — it symbolises strength and resilience.”
He further added, “The name Operation Sindoor was chosen to convey a message: if you wipe away sindoor, we will wipe you out. And that’s exactly what happened.”
Operation Sindoor refers to the sacred vermilion worn by married Hindu women. The operation was named in honour of the women who lost their spouses to the terrorist attack, aiming to symbolise both grief and retaliation.
