Amit Shah: Opposition Must Not Stall Parliament For Narrow Political Gains

Speaking at the All India Speakers' Conference in New Delhi, held three days after the Monsoon Session of Parliament ended with repeated adjournments, Shah said, "Debate must take place in a democracy. But it is not good if the House is not allowed to function in the name of opposition for someone's narrow political gains. If the House is stalled session after session, it is harmful. The country has to ponder over it, the people have to ponder over it, and elected representatives have to ponder over it."

He added that all discussions must have substance and should contribute to raising the dignity of the Speaker's post. "We should work to provide an impartial platform to raise people's issues. The arguments of both the treasury and the opposition should be unbiased. The functioning of the House must follow the rules and regulations of the respective House," he said.

Citing the humiliation of Draupadi in the Mahabharata, Shah warned that whenever the dignity of the House is compromised, the country faces dire consequences.

Lauding India's democratic traditions since Independence, he said that unlike many nations, regime changes in India had never shed a drop of blood. "If there is no debate in Parliament or Assemblies, these remain lifeless buildings. The Speaker makes them living entities by allowing members to express views in the national interest," he said.

Calling the Speaker both a "guardian" and a sevak (servant), Shah noted that brainstorming is the best way to resolve people's problems, and that laws must always ensure public welfare, inclusive development, and national security.

Paying tribute to Vitthalbhai Patel, the first elected Indian Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly, Shah said his role in establishing parliamentary traditions had been overshadowed. "If the freedom struggle was important, so too was establishing legislative procedures. Vitthalbhai Patel created an independent legislative assembly and laid the foundation of India's parliamentary democracy," he said.

Shah highlighted that Patel's decision to create an independent legislative department was later accepted by the Constituent Assembly and continues today in all legislatures. He added, "Gujarat gave India two great brothers - Sardar Patel, who worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Mahatma Gandhi, and Vitthalbhai Patel, who laid the foundation of India's legislative traditions."

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, addressing the conference, said Vitthalbhai Patel's election 100 years ago was a defining moment in India's constitutional journey. He recalled that the Central Legislative Assembly witnessed historic debates by leaders such as Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, and Tej Bahadur Sapru, including opposition to the Rowlatt Act.

Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat described the Delhi Assembly building, which hosted the centenary celebrations, as a witness to historic events. "Many freedom fighters sat in this hall and stood here to face global challenges of their time. This building is a witness to such revered moments," he said, suggesting that a special session be held to discuss Patel's contributions.