BJP MPs Sarangi, Rajput, Konyak should be given all awards for acting: Jaya Bachchan

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Jaya Bachchan on Friday alleged that the BJP MPs, undergoing treatment in a hospital in the city, are doing "drama" and said they should be given all the awards for their "acting performance".

Speaking to reporters during a protest march carried out by opposition parties here, the Rajya Sabha member also claimed that she has never seen in her career as an actor a "better performer" than BJP MPs Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Mukesh Rajput and S Phangnon Konyak.

The BJP hit back and said this is the "true culture" of the SP and the opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc with Bachchan standing with the "aggressor", not with the victim, survivor and the tribal woman MP who has made "grave" allegations against Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.

The acrimonious face-off between the opposition and the ruling NDA over alleged insult to B R Ambedkar took an unprecedented ugly turn in Parliament premises on Thursday with claims of pushing and shoving involving MPs, leaving two BJP members Sarangi and Rajput hospitalised.

Konyak, a woman BJP MP from Nagaland, alleged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi came in her "close proximity" and shouted at her during the protest which made her feel "extremely uncomfortable".

Asked for comment, Bachchan said, "Sarangi ji is doing drama… I have never seen a better performance in my career (as an actor) than that of Rajput ji, Sarangi ji and the woman (Member of Parliament) from Nagaland... They should be given all the awards in acting."

"Rajput ji was in the ICU (intensive care unit) of the hospital. First a small band-aid was applied. Then a bigger bandage was applied. After that he was speaking to his leader in the ICU. I have never seen such a great performance in my life," she told reporters.

Reacting sharply to the SP MP's remarks, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, "This is the true culture of the Samajwadi Party and the INDI alliance. They disrespect tribals and women. This is their identity."

He said Rajya Sabha member Konyak has claimed that Rahul Gandhi violated "her space" by coming "extremely close" to her and by shouting and "doing gestures" at her.

"Instead of standing with the tribal woman MP who has made grave allegations against Rahul Gandhi, you have a situation where the version of the woman MP is being questioned. Her character is being called into question, dignity is being played around with," Poonawalla said.

"And that too by Jaya Bachchan who for herself in Rajya Sabha made a huge hue and cry but for another woman MP she is speaking so disparagingly," he added.

The BJP spokesperson also slammed the SP and said Bachchan's remarks against Konyak shows they do not have any respect for the tribal community and women.

"This is the party which says boys will be boys. And today too, they stand with the aggressor, not with the victim, the survivor and with the woman MP who has made such grave allegations," he added.

BJP MPs Sarangi and Rajput, who were admitted to the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital here after suffering head injuries in a face-off between the opposition and NDA members in Parliament premises on Thursday, are still in the ICU and being closely monitored, doctors said on Friday.

Both of them had been brought to the hospital from Parliament with head injuries, hospital's Medical Superintendent Ajay Shukla said.