Joint Session Of Parliament: Prez invokes Ram temple, Art 370

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said the centuries-old desire to build a Ram temple in Ayodhya has now become reality as she listed the achievements of the Modi government over the past 10 years.

In her 75-minute address to the members of both Houses of Parliament assembled in the Lok Sabha chamber of the new Parliament building, Murmu also hailed the armed forces for giving a befitting reply to terrorism and expansionism, an apparent reference to Pakistan and China. In her maiden address in the new Parliament building, the President listed out the economic reforms undertaken by the government that has transformed India from the group of "fragile five" to the "top five" economies in the world.

Murmu said the government's successful hosting of the G-20 summit had strengthened India's global standing and noted that Jammu and Kashmir, and the northeastern states hosted some international meetings of the grouping for the first time. "This is the time for India to script the future for the coming centuries. Our ancestors have bequeathed us a legacy spanning thousands of years. Even today, we remember with pride the exceptional achievements of our ancestors. Today's generation should also build a lasting legacy that will be remembered for centuries," she said.

The Lok Sabha chamber reverberated with applause and thumping of desks when the President spoke about the building of Ram temple in Ayodhya, which is witnessing pilgrims in large numbers.

The President said within five days of the opening of the temple, 13 lakh devotees had visited Ayodhya Dham. She termed the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple on January 22 as an "epochal moment".

"There were doubts regarding the removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. Those are now history. This Parliament also enacted a strict law against 'Triple Talaq'," the President said. Murmu touched on issues ranging from insurgency to inflation and said a country can progress at a fast pace only when it defeats the challenges of the past and puts maximum energy into building the future.

She asserted that the armed forces were giving a befitting reply to terrorism and expansionism and India has emerged as a prominent voice against terrorism in the world. Those seated in the front rows included Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, ministers Piyush Goyal and Nitin Gadkari, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress' parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi.