President Murmu addresses country on eve of Republic Day, hails Ram Temple consecration ceremony

India's President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday (Jan 25) addressed the nation on the eve of the country's 75th Republic Day and hailed the Ram temple consecration ceremony held in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya on Monday (Jan 22).

Calling the event"landmark" in India’s continued re-discovery of its civilisational heritage, she said, "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."

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She then said that the democratic system in the country was much older than even the concept of Western democracy, dubbing it the reason why India was called the "mother of democracy".

"Tomorrow is the day when we celebrate the commencement of the Constitution. Its Preamble begins with the words 'We, the People of India', highlighting the theme of the document, namely, democracy. In India, the democratic system is much older than the concept of Western democracy. That is the reason why India is called the "mother of democracy," she said.

President Murmu alsorememberedhow leaders as well officials contributed towards framing"our splendid and inspiring" Constitution.

"My heartiest greetings to all of you on the eve of the 75th Republic Day! My heart is filled with pride when I look back and see how far we have travelled despite adversities. The 75th year of the Republic is truly a historic milestone in the journey of the nation in many ways. This is an especially festive occasion, just as we celebrated the unique greatness and diverse culture of our nation during the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav when we completed 75 years of Independence," she said.

'Karpoori Thakur was one of the greatest advocates of backward classes', says President Murmu

President Murmu in her address also remembered the contributions of former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur, who on Tuesday (Jan 23) was conferred Bharat Ratna posthumously.

"I would like to mention here that the celebration of the birth centenary of a tireless champion of social justice, Shri Karpoori Thakurji, concluded yesterday. Karpooriji was one of the greatest advocates of the backward classes who dedicated his life to their welfare. His life was a message. I pay my tribute to Karpoori Ji for enriching public life through his contributions," the President said.

'Amrit Kaal is period of epochal transformation'

The Indian President noted that the period of 'Amrit Kaal' - the period leading to the centenary of Independence - had provided people with an opportunity to help the country scale new heights as every individual's contribution would be crucial in achieving the goals.

"The nation is in the early years of Amrit Kaal, the period leading to the centenary of Independence. This is the time of an epochal transformation. We are given a golden opportunity to take the country to new heights. Contribution from every citizen will be crucial to achieve our goals. For this, I will appeal to all my fellow citizens to abide by our Fundamental Duties enshrined in the Constitution," the President said.

"These 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 added.

She also spoke about the challenges posed by technological advances like Artificial Intelligence.

"The period of Amrit Kaal is also going to be the period of 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," said the President.

She also approved Gallantry awards to 80 Armed Forces personnel, including 12 posthumous, on the eve of the 75th Republic Day. These include six Kirti Chakras, including three posthumous; 16 Shaurya Chakras, including two posthumous; 53 Sena Medals, including seven posthumous; one Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) and four Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).

(With inputs from agencies)