Centuries-old aspirations turned into reality: President Murmu highlights Ram Temple construction at joint address

On Wednesday, President Droupadi Murmu remarked that the long-standing aspirations for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya have become a reality, addressing a joint sitting of Parliament at the commencement of the Budget Session. Representing the Central government, she highlighted the completion of several works in the last decade that were eagerly awaited by the people of India. Specifically, she emphasized the fulfillment of the centuries-old aspiration for the construction of the Ram Temple, officially inaugurated in Uttar Pradesh on January 22.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his media interaction before the Budget Session, began and concluded his address with the salutation ‘Ram Ram.’ The President acknowledged the historic significance of 2023, citing it as a year when India maintained the status of the fastest-growing major economy, achieving a growth of about 7.5 percent for two consecutive quarters.

President Murmu delivered her first address in the new Parliament building, expressing confidence that meaningful conversations on policies would take place in this symbolic structure. She described the building as embodying the essence of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat’ and expressed its commitment to honoring democratic and parliamentary traditions while building new traditions for the 21st-century India.

Speaking about her government’s achievements over the past decade, President Murmu highlighted the substantial progress in poverty alleviation, stating, “Today, for the first time in our lives, we see poverty being alleviated on a large scale.”

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the interim Union Budget on Thursday. This session, expected to be the last before Lok Sabha polls in April-May, will provide eight sittings spread over ten days. The interim budget is designed to address fiscal needs during the period until a new government is formed after the Lok Sabha polls.