Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday underscored the need to uphold the dignity and respect of the Speaker’s post, stating that both the government and the opposition must ensure that legislative proceedings strictly follow the rules of the House. He warned that historically, assemblies that failed to maintain their dignity faced “dire consequences.”

Shah made these remarks while inaugurating the two-day All India Speakers’ Conference at the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Emphasising the importance of the Speaker’s role, he said, “It is an opportunity for all of us to work towards increasing the dignity and respect of the post of the Speaker. We should strive to provide an unbiased platform for raising the issues of the people. Both government and opposition must present their arguments fairly and ensure smooth functioning of the House as per its rules. In our 13,000-year history, whenever assemblies lost their dignity, the consequences have been severe.”

The Home Minister also marked the centenary of Vitthalbhai Patel’s appointment as the first Indian Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly on August 24, 1925. “Today, we are present in the very House where India’s legislative history began. It is a proud moment that we are celebrating 100 years since Vitthalbhai Patel became Speaker of the Central Assembly. Gujarat gave two illustrious brothers to India—Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who worked for the nation’s independence, and Vitthalbhai Patel, who laid the foundation of our legislative traditions,” Shah said.

Before delivering his address, Shah paid tribute to Vitthalbhai Patel, who played a pivotal role in shaping India’s parliamentary democracy. The Central Legislative Assembly, established under the Government of India Act 1919, was the lower house of the bicameral legislature during British rule.