President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said the centuries-old desire to build a Ram temple in Ayodhya has now become reality as she listed the achievements of the
Modi government over the past 10 years.
In her 75-minute address to the members of both Houses of Parliament assembled in the Lok Sabha chamber of the new Parliament building, Murmu also hailed the armed forces for giving a befitting reply to terrorism and expansionism, an apparent reference to Pakistan and China.
In her maiden address in the new Parliament building, the President listed out the economic reforms undertaken by the government that has transformed India from the
group of “fragile five” to the “top five” economies in the world.
Murmu said the government’s successful hosting of the G-20 summit had strengthened India’s global standing and noted that Jammu and Kashmir, and the northeastern states hosted some international meetings of the grouping for the first time.
“This is the time for India to script the future for the coming centuries. Our ancestors have
bequeathed us a legacy spanning thousands of years. Even today, we remember with pride the exceptional achievements of our ancestors.
Today’s generation should also build a lasting legacy that will be remembered for centuries,” she said.
The Lok Sabha chamber reverberated with applause and thumping of desks when the President spoke about the building of Ram temple in Ayodhya, which is witnessing pilgrims in large numbers.
“Over the past 10 years, India has witnessed several such tasks being accomplished in the national interest, for which the people of the country were waiting for decades. For centuries, there was an aspiration to construct the Ram Mandir. Today it is a reality,” Murmu said.
The President said within five days of the opening of the temple, 13 lakh devotees had visited Ayodhya Dham. She termed the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple on January 22 as an “epochal moment”.
“There were doubts regarding the removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. Those are now history. This Parliament also enacted a strict law against ‘Triple Talaq’,” the President said.
Murmu touched on issues ranging from insurgency to inflation and said a country can progress at a fast pace only when it defeats the challenges of the past and puts maximum energy into building the future.
She asserted that the armed forces were giving a befitting reply to terrorism and expansionism and India has emerged as a prominent voice against terrorism in the world.
“Today my government is building modern infrastructure along the entire border. This work should have been done long ago on a priority basis. Be it terrorism or expansionism, our forces today are giving a befitting response,” Murmu said.
The President said the tangible results of the government’s efforts to strengthen internal security were visible.
“There is a sense of security in Jammu and Kashmir today. The earlier deserted look of marketplaces due to strike has been replaced by the hustle and bustle of crowded markets,” Murmu said. The President said there has been significant reduction in the incidents of separatism in the northeast and many organisations have taken steps towards
permanent peace.
“Naxal affected areas have shrunk and there has been a steep decline in Naxal violence,” Murmu said. The government, she said, believed the grand edifice of a developed India
will stand on the four strong pillars of youth power, women power, farmers and the poor.
After Murmu’s speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a post on X said, “The Budget Session began with Rashtrapati Ji’s extensive and insightful address highlighting the collective strength of 140 crore Indians, seen in a series of feats our nation has achieved.
The Address also highlighted the vision of further developing India in the coming years.”
