CHENNAI: Chief Minister Vijay on Tuesday delivered his maiden speech in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, stressing that Tamil culture, human values and democratic traditions should be respected and protected.
Congratulating newly elected Speaker JCD Prabhakar, who was elected unopposed with the support of all parties, Vijay said the dignity and traditions of the Assembly must always be safeguarded.
The Chief Minister recalled the traditions followed in the British Parliament while explaining the importance of the Speaker's post.
"In old British parliamentary tradition, the Speaker was responsible for conveying the decisions of Parliament to the King. When the Speaker delivered decisions that went against the wishes of the King, some rulers even ordered punishment against them.
Due to this fear, nobody wanted to become Speaker. That is why the Leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition traditionally escort the Speaker to the chair by holding his hands. The practice continues even today," Vijay said.
He further said both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker hailed from humble family backgrounds and appealed to members to uphold humanity above political differences.
"Beyond politics, human values should prevail," he said.
Vijay said the House carries the responsibility of implementing laws and schemes that fulfil the expectations of the people and strengthen democracy.
"Our governance should function in such a way that a larger section of people benefit during this tenure," he said.
The Chief Minister also stressed that all parties represented in the Assembly including those with a single MLA should receive equal respect.
"Even parties with one member should receive the same respect as the ruling party members. Good suggestions must be accepted and unsuitable ones rejected," he said.
He added that the Assembly should function with democratic values and healthy debates while protecting the traditions and prestige of the House.
Referring to the Speaker's election, Vijay said the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) had proposed a person with the maturity and qualities required to conduct the proceedings of the historic Assembly with fairness and dignity.