Jaya Bachchan flays BJP’s Ravi Kishan, says he ‘bites the hand that feeds you’

Reports in social media as well on TV channels about rampant drug addiction in Bollywood echoed in Parliament, with BJP’s actor-turned MP in Lok Sabha Ravi Kishan saying the industry is being “flogged by social media and the government’s non-support”.

This drew an angry response from Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan, who said no one could tarnish the whole industry. “I was really embarrassed and ashamed that yesterday (September 14), one of our members in the Lok Sabha, who is from the industry, spoke against the film industry. Jis thaali me khaate hain usi me chched karte hain (bite the hand that feeds you),”

Ravi Kishan is a popular actor of Bhojpuri and Hindi films, and an MP from Uttar Pradesh. He raised in parliament the drugs-related allegations that have surfaced in the Sushant Singh Rajput investigations. He alleged a “conspiracy” by Pakistan and China to destroy the country’s younger citizens.

“Drug addiction is in the film industry too… Several people have been apprehended. The NCB (Narcotics Control Bureau) 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,” Ravi Kishan said in the Lok Sabha.

He was referring to the ongoing NCB probe involving the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, in which actor Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and four more were arrested last week.

Related news: Rajnath Singh to address Parliament on India-China border crisis

Jaya Bachchan said such statements are being made to divert the attention from the state of the economy and unemployment. “At a time when the financial situation is in a depressing state and employment is at the worst level, in order to divert the attention of the people, we are being flogged by social media and the government’s non-support. But people who have made their name in this film industry have called it a gutter. I completely disagree,” she said.

The NCB is investigating charges of drug-dealing and use based on chats found on the phone of Rhea Chakraborty, a 28-year-old actor being investigated over the death of her boyfriend, popular star Sushant Singh Rajput, on June 14.

Rhea Chakraborty, who is in a Mumbai jail, has been accused of organising drugs for Rajput. The anti-drugs agency called her “an active member of a drugs syndicate”.