New Delhi, Jan 31: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said that the centuries-old aspirations for the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya have turned into a reality today.
The President's remarks came while addressing a joint sitting of Parliament, which marked the commencement of the Budget Session.
"In the last 10 years, India saw the completion of several works towards national interest that had been awaited by the people of the country for decades. There were aspirations for the construction of Ram temple for centuries, today it has become true," she told the Parliament, on behalf of the Central government.
The grand temple in Uttar Pradesh was officially inaugurated on January 22 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol.
The event saw the participation of about 8,000 invitees, including 1,500-1,600 eminent guests.
Meanwhile, PM Modi, in his customary interaction with the media ahead of the Budget Session outside the Parliament building, started and concluded his address with the salutation 'Ram Ram'.
"Ram Ram to all of you for the year 2024. At the end of the first session held in the new Parliament building, this Parliament took a very dignified decision of clearing the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam," PM Modi had said.
Moreover, President Murmu in her address asserted that 2023 was a historic year for the country when it maintained the tag of being the fastest-growing major economy.
"The year 2023 was a historic year for India, when it grew the fastest among major economies despite global crisis. India grew about 7.5 per cent for two consecutive quarters," Murmu told the joint sitting.
This is President Murmu's first address in the new Parliament building.
"This is my first address in the new Parliament building. This grand building has been built at the beginning of the Amrit Kaal. This has the fragrance of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat'...This also has the resolve to honour democratic and parliamentary traditions. Besides this, it also has the resolve to build new traditions of the new India of the 21st century," Murmu said.
"I am confident that there will be meaningful conversation on policies, in this new building," the President said.
Speaking about her government, she said, "The achievements that we see today are the extension of the practices of the last 10 years. We heard the slogan of 'Gareebi Hatao' since our childhood. Today, for the first time in our lives, we see poverty being alleviated on a large scale."
Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the interim Union Budget on Thursday.
The last session before Lok Sabha polls expected to be held in April-May this year is to provide a total of eight sittings spread over a period of 10 days.
The interim budget typically takes care of the fiscal needs of the intervening period until a government is formed after the Lok Sabha polls.
