Veteran actor and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan found herself at the centre of a controversy on Monday, August 11, after a video went viral showing her pushing a man who attempted to take a selfie with her at the Constitution Club of India in Delhi. The incident occurred while
Opposition MPs were gathering for a march to the Election Commission office, protesting alleged voter roll manipulation in Bihar.
In the 32-second viral video, Jaya Bachchan is seen arriving at the venue when a man tries to take a selfie. She appears visibly agitated and is heard saying, “Kya kar rahe ho aap?” (“What are you doing?”) before physically pushing the man away. Moments later, Lok Sabha MP and RJD leader Misa Bharti, daughter of Lalu Prasad Yadav, is seen walking behind her.
The video has sparked strong reactions on social media, with users accusing the MP of arrogance and “elitist behaviour.” One user wrote, “Her arrogance will break her someday,” while another commented, “Why would anyone want a selfie with her anyway?”
This is not the first time Jaya Bachchan has lost her cool in public. During the recent Parliament debate on Operation Sindoor, she snapped at the treasury bench for interrupting her and even scolded Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, telling her, “Priyanka, don’t control me,” when she gestured during her speech.
In another episode last year, Bachchan took offence after Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar introduced her as “Jaya Amitabh Bachchan.” Expressing her displeasure, she said, “I am an artist and I understand tone and body language. Your tone is not acceptable.”
Meanwhile, the broader context of the incident was a massive Opposition protest march from Parliament's Makar Dwar to the Election Commission. The police detained several MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, citing a lack of permission. Speaking later, Gandhi said, “If 300 MPs want to submit a document and they are stopped, it’s a threat to democracy.”
So far, Jaya Bachchan and the Samajwadi Party have not issued any statement on the viral video. However, the incident has reignited debates over public figures' conduct and accountability, especially during high-voltage political protests.
