Droupadi Murmu, after taking oath of office of the President of India on Monday, said that her election proved that the poor in India can have dreams and fulfil them too.
In her first address to the nation as the President of India, after her swearing-in ceremony, Murmu said that attaining the post of the President was not her personal achievement but the achievement of every poor person in India.
"My election is a proof of the fact that the poor in India can have dreams and fulfil them too. And it is a matter of great satisfaction for me that those who have been deprived for centuries and those who have been denied the benefits of development, those poor, downtrodden, backwards and tribals are seeing their reflection in me," the President said.
Expressing her gratitude to all MPs and MLAs for electing her to the highest Constitutional post of India, President Droupadi Murmu said, "Your vote for me is an expression of the faith of crores of citizens of the country. I humbly greet all the fellow citizens from this sacred Parliament, a symbol of the hopes, aspirations and rights of all the citizens of India. Your affection, trust and support will be my greatest strength in discharging my functions and responsibilities".
"The country has elected me as the President at a crucial time when we are celebrating ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. A few days from today, the country will complete 75 years of its independence. It is also a coincidence that my political career started when the country was celebrating its 50th year of independence. And today, in the 75th year of independence, I have been assigned this new responsibility. It is my great privilege to be given this responsibility at such a historic time when India is engaged with full vigour in realising its vision for the next 25 years," the President said.
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The newly sworn-in President also extended her best wishes to the armed forces of the country in advance as the India will be observing the Kargil Vijay Diwas on Tuesday.
"We have to work at a fast pace in this Amritkal to fulfil the expectations of our freedom fighters from the citizens of independent India. In these 25 years, the path to attain the goals of Amritkal will proceed on two tracks – Sabka Prayas aur Sabka Kartavya (everyone's effort and everyone's duty). We will be observing Kargil Vijay Diwas tomorrow. This day is a symbol of both-the bravery and restraint of the Indian armed forces," President Murmu said.
The President also recalled her journey from a ward councillor to becoming the President of India.
"I started my journey of life from a small tribal village in Odisha in the eastern part of the country.From the background that I come from, it was like a dream for me to get elementary education. But despite many obstacles, my determination remained strong and I became the first daughter of my village to go to college. I belong to a tribal society. I have got the opportunity to rise from serving as a ward councillor to becoming the President of India. This is the greatness of India, the mother of democracy. It is a tribute to the power of our democracy that a daughter born in a poor house in a remote tribal area can reach the highest constitutional position in India," the President said.
Today I feel proud to lead such a progressive India. Today, I assure all fellow citizens, especially the youth of India and the women of India that their interests will be paramount for me while working in this position, she added.
The President stressed the democratic-cultural ideals of India and its citizens will be her source of energy.
"Along with this post, the country has also entrusted me with the responsibility of representing this great tradition. In the light of the Constitution, I will discharge my duties with utmost sincerity. For me, the democratic-cultural ideals of India and all the citizens will always be my source of energy. Our freedom struggle had prepared the roadmap for India's new journey as a nation. Our freedom struggle was a continuous stream of those struggles and sacrifices which had nurtured so many ideals and possibilities for independent India," President Murmu said.
She continued, "Pujya Bapu had resorted to Swaraj, Swadeshi, Swachhta and Satyagraha to show us the way for realising Indian cultural ideals. Countless personalities like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Nehru, Sardar Patel, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru and Chandrashekhar Azad had taught us to keep national pride as paramount. Many brave women icons like Rani Lakshmi Bai, Rani Velu Nachiyar, Rani Gaidinliu and Rani Chennamma had taken to new heights the role of women power in defending and building the nation."
"From Santhal revolution, Paika revolution to Kol revolution and Bhil revolution, all these revolutions had strengthened the tribal contribution in the freedom struggle. We derived inspiration from the sacrifice of 'Dharti Aaba' Bhagwan Birsa Munda Ji for social upliftment and patriotism. I am happy that many museums are being built across the country dedicated to the role of the tribal communities in our freedom struggle," India's new President added.
