The Ram temple at Ayodhya, believed to be the god’s birthplace, is a testament to people’s “enormous trust” in the judicial process, President Droupadi Murmu said on January 25 in her address to the nation on the eve of India’s 75th Republic Day. She added that this week’s ceremony to consecrate the idol at the temple will be considered a landmark in India’s continued rediscovery of civilisational heritage.
In her address, Ms. Murmu emphasised the importance of citizens carrying out the fundamental duties outlined in the Constitution in order to make India a developed nation by 2047; mentioned several welfare schemes of the Union government; and asserted that it would be a proud day for India when it could be counted among the nations “where homelessness is a rarity”.
The President also talked about social justice and referred to former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur as a “tireless champion” of social justice.
Read here for the full address
‘Landmark’
Referring to the January 22 consecration ceremony of Lord Ram at the newly-constructed temple at Ayodhya, she said that when this event is seen with a wider perspective, “the future historians will consider it a landmark in India’s continued re-discovery of its civilisational heritage”.
“The construction of the temple commenced after the due judicial process and the decision of the highest court of the land. Now it stands as a grand edifice, giving a befitting expression not only of people’s faith but also as a testament to people’s enormous trust in the judicial process,” Ms. Murmu noted.
‘Voice of the Global South’
Hailing the “magnificent” G-20 Summit, the President said that it had “boosted India’s emergence as the voice of the Global South, adding a necessary element to the international discourse”. She noted that the Summit also provided valuable lessons on how to make citizens participants in strategic and diplomatic matters.
Touching upon on the conflicts that have emerged in several parts of the world, the President cited the wisdom of Vardhaman Mahavir, Samrat Ashoka, and Mahatma Gandhi, and hoped that the regions engaged in hostilities would find a peaceful way to resolve the conflicts.
“When each of the two conflicting sides believes that it is right and the other is wrong, the way out should be found in the light of reason. Unfortunately, instead of reason, fears and prejudices have fuelled passions, leading to relentless violence. There have been a series of humanitarian tragedies on a large scale, and we feel aggrieved over the human suffering,” Ms. Murmu said.
‘Duties are essential’
With regard to the Indian economy, she said that the country was moving ahead with confidence. “Our GDP growth rate has remained the highest among major economies in recent years, and we have all reasons to believe that this extraordinary performance will continue in the year 2024 and beyond,” she said.
Stating that the nation was in the early years of Amrit Kaal, the period leading to the centenary of Independence, Ms. Murmu said that this was the time for an epochal transformation in which every Indian citizen would play a part.
“These [fundamental] duties are essential obligations of every citizen towards making Bharat a developed nation when it completes 100 years of independence. Here, I think of Mahatma Gandhi who had rightly said, ‘No people have risen who thought only of rights. Only those did so who thought of duties’,” she said.
Unprecedented changes
The President hailed the passage of a law to reserve 33% of seats in State and central legislatures for women as a revolutionary tool for women’s empowerment. She also talked about unleashing the potential of the youth and changes made in the national education policy, hailed the performance of women sportspersons, and mentioned Amrit Kaal as a period that will witness unprecedented technological changes.
“Technological advances like Artificial Intelligence and machine learning have moved from headlines into our daily lives at a breathtaking speed. There are numerous areas of concern in the foreseeable future, but there are also exciting opportunities ahead, especially for the youth. They are exploring new frontiers,” she said.
