Delhi must shine as best capital in the world, says Vice-President

Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday said the national capital must aspire to set global standards of excellence, asserting that Delhi “should not try to be London or Washington, but must shine as the best capital in the world.”

He was speaking during an event on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution. He also unveiled a specially curated coffee table book that commemorates 100 years since Vithalbhai Patel became the first elected Indian Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly on August 24, 1925.

The coffee table book was formally released by the Vice-President at an event attended by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Deputy Speaker Mohan Singh Bisht, Cabinet Minister Parvesh Verma, senior officers of the Delhi government, MLAs and Members of Parliament.

During the ceremony, the L-G also administered the Constitution Day pledge, followed by the screening of the Government of India’s three-minute film marking 75 years of the Constitution.

Speaking at the event, the Vice-President said the historic Assembly building has witnessed transformative debates on citizenship, rights and representative governance since the era of the Imperial Legislative Council. He praised the coffee table book for meticulously capturing the evolution of India’s legislative institutions and said it would help connect future generations with the sacrifices of the country’s forefathers.

Recalling the All-India Speakers’ Conference held in August this year, he lauded the Delhi Assembly for commemorating the centennial year of Vithalbhai Patel’s election. Patel’s leadership, he said, remains a role model for presiding officers of independent India.

He urged legislators to strengthen democratic institutions through dialogue and cooperation and appealed to citizens, including workers, students and small entrepreneurs, to uphold constitutional duties to help India emerge as a global powerhouse.

L-G Saxena expressed satisfaction over the publication of the coffee table book, noting that the idea was first discussed with Speaker Vijender Gupta when the Eighth Assembly began its term. He highlighted India’s founding constitutional values of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity, calling Constitution Day an opportunity to recommit to these ideals.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the Constitution binds India’s diverse religions, languages and identities with one thread of unity. Every letter of the Constitution, she said, reflects the soul of Indian democracy. She congratulated the Speaker for documenting India’s democratic journey through the coffee table book, adding that it would make every citizen proud of the country’s institutional heritage.

Speaker Vijender Gupta said celebrating Constitution Day inside the historic Assembly complex adds deep emotional significance to the occasion. He said the coffee table book features rare archival photographs and key milestones, including the 2025 Speakers’ Conference that marked the Vithalbhai Patel centenary. All dignitaries also paid floral tributes to Dr BR Ambedkar and Vithalbhai Patel on the Assembly premises.