On the eve of India's 75th Republic Day, President Droupadi Murmu hailed the consecration ceremony of the "glorious" Ram Temple in UP's Ayodhya as "historic".
"When this event will be seen in the wider perspective, the future historians will consider it a landmark in India’s continued re-discovery of its civilisational heritage," President Murmu said in her annual address to the nation on Thursday, 25 January.
"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 judicial process," she added.
This is President Murmu's second address to the nation on the eve of Republic Day. Besides lauding the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the customary speech by the 15th president of India also touched upon other noteworthy events such as the G20 Summit and the Chandrayaan-3 mission as well as pertinent issues such as the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI).
Catch the highlights of President Murmu's address.
President Murmu's Republic Day Eve Speech: Key Points
G20 Summit: "The successful organising of the Group of 20 Summit in the capital, under India’s presidency, was an unprecedented achievement. What was all the more noteworthy was the way the people were involved in the G20 events. The ideas and inputs travelled not downwards from the top but upwards from the bottom. The magnificent event provided lessons for all in making citizens participants in strategic and diplomatic matters that are, in the final analysis, going to shape their own future. The G20 Summit also boosted India’s emergence as the voice of the Global South, adding a necessary element to the international discourse."
Women's Reservation Bill: "We also progressed further towards the ideal of gender equality, when the Parliament passed the historic Women’s Reservation Bill. I believe the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam will prove to be a revolutionary tool of women’s empowerment. It will also go a long way in improving the processes of our governance. When more women will be involved in the matters of collective importance, our administrative priorities will be more in tune with the needs of the masses."
ISRO's Chandrayaan-3: "It was also the year when India went to the moon, becoming the first to land on the lunar south pole region. After Chandrayaan-3, the Indian Space Research Organisation rolled out a solar mission as well. Recently, Aditya L1 was successfully put into the halo orbit. We began the new year with the launch of our first X-ray Polarimeter Satellite called XPoSat which will study space mysteries like black holes. Many more space missions are planned in the current calendar year. I am happy to add that India’s space journey is slated to cross new milestones."
India's economy: "India is moving ahead with confidence, which comes from and is also reflected by the robust health of the economy. 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."
Israel-Hamas War? "In recent times, many conflicts have emerged around the world and several parts of it have been suffering from violence. 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 fueled 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."
The era of AI: "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."
The full transcript of her speech can be found here.
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