A day after BJP MP Ravi Kishan made a statement in Parliament alleging a “drug cartel” in Bollywood, Rajya Sabha MP and actor Jaya Bachchan slammed Kishan in a speech that has now gone viral.
Bachchan in her speech said that it was unfair to vilify Bollywood and the government must stand by this industry.
″Entertainment industry in our country which provides direct employment every day to 5 lakh people and indirect employment to 5 million people. At a time when the financial situation is in a depressing state, and employment is at the worst level, in order to divert attention of the people, we are being used to be flogged by the social media and the government’s non support,” Bachchan said.
She pointed out that people who had made their names with the film industry had been calling it a gutter and criticised such statements.
She pointed out that people among the film industry were among the highest tax payers in the country.
“Jis thaali mein khaatein hain, usi mein chhed kartein hain (They bite the hand that feeds them),” Bachchan said calling Kishan’s speech in the Lok Sabha shameful.
This discussion in the Parliament was in the light of Rhea Chakraborty’s arrest in the Sushant Singh Rajput case, over which the BJP has been at logger heads with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.
NDTV quoted Ravi Kishan as saying in his speech on Monday, “Drug addiction is in the film industry too. Several people have been apprehended. The NCB has been doing very good work. I urge the central government to take strict action against the culprits soon. Give them a befitting punishment and bring an end to this conspiracy by neighbouring countries.”
Chakraborty’s arrest in connection to a drugs case being probed by the NCB, attracted severe criticism from all quarters, including from Bollywood celebrities. Several BJP leaders have alleged that she was a part of a drug syndicate in Bollywood.
On the other hand the BJP itself has received criticism for vilifying Chakraborty to divert attention from important issues like the economy and the coronavirus pandemic.