New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu hailed the realization of the centuries-old dream to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya during her address on Wednesday, praising the efforts of the Modi government over the past decade in completing numerous longstanding projects.

Speaking at the inaugural session in the new Parliament building, Murmu emphasized that a nation can surge forward only by overcoming historical challenges and dedicating maximum efforts to shaping the future.

"In the last ten years, the nation has witnessed the culmination of projects that had been awaited for decades. The aspiration to construct the Ram Mandir persisted for centuries, and today it stands as a reality," she expressed, drawing applause from the assembly.

Addressing concerns over the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Murmu asserted that those worries are now part of history.

Murmu arrived in style at the Parliament House, making her entrance in a buggy before addressing the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Accompanied by the 'sengol' carried in front of her, she set the tone for her speech.

Highlighting the transformation of the Indian economy, Murmu noted its evolution from being among the 'fragile five' to moving in the right direction at a suitable pace, attributing this progress to various reforms undertaken by the government over the past decade.

"According to the NITI Aayog, nearly 25 crore people have risen out of poverty during my government's tenure of 10 years," she stated.

Moreover, Murmu pointed out the significant drop in the country's inflation rate, which has now stabilized within 4 per cent, compared to its previous double-digit figures.

She also commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the successful passage of the women's reservation bill.

Among the dignitaries seated in the front rows were Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Nitin Gadkari, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Congress' Parliamentary Party Chief Sonia Gandhi.

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