NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu addressing the joint sitting of both Houses in the new Parliament building said on Wednesday that for centuries, there was an “aspiration to construct Ram Mandir, and today, it is a reality.”
“In cultural history, there are some milestones that decide the future of centuries. In India’s history also, there have been numerous such milestones. On January 22, the country witnessed one such milestone. After a long wait, Ram Lalla now resides in a grand temple in Ayodhya”, she said in her 75-minute address.
She said following the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, 13 lakh devotees have had ‘darshan’ in only five days. The President said a nation can progress at a fast pace only when it overcomes the past challenges and invests maximum energy in the future.
“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. There were doubts regarding the removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. Those are now history,” she said amid thumping of desks by MPs. She also said Parliament has enacted a strict law against ‘triple talaq.’
Murmu reached Parliament in a traditional buggy and entered the House with the ‘sengol’ being carried in front of her.
The President said the Indian economy was among the “fragile five” but is now moving in the right direction with the right pace due to several reforms undertaken by the government. Quoting the Niti Aayog report, she said in the 10-year rule of the government, nearly 25 crore people have come out of poverty. She said earlier the country’s rate of inflation was in double digits, which is now within 4%.
Congratulating PM Modi for the passage of the women’s reservation bill, the President said the ‘Nari-Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam has been enacted after a wait of three decades. “This has paved the way for ensuring greater participation of women in the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies.”
The government resolve is for women-led development. “My government has continuously upheld its commitment to ‘reform, perform and transform.’ The criminal justice system rooted in the era of slavery is now history. Now, justice takes precedence over punishment. The nation has got a new Nyaya Sanhita based on the principle of ‘justice first’. The digital personal data protection Act will make the digital space more secure,” she said.
As many as 76 old laws were repealed last year and new laws enacted to lay the foundation for the realization of the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat.’
Lauding the government performances, she said amidst a series of global crisis, India has emerged as the fastest-growing economy, consistently maintaining over 7.5% growth rate for two consecutive quarters.
She also appreciated the government effort in conducting the successful G20 and accomplishing targets of developments. She also referred to India launching the fastest 5G rollout and an Indian airline company executing the world’s largest aircraft deal.
She also said that the Modi government gave jobs to lakhs of youth in mission mode in 2023. She asserted that the armed forces were giving a befitting reply to terrorism and expansionism. India is now a prominent voice against terrorism in the world.
