The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government in Tamil Nadu kicked up a fresh row on Thursday, by replacing the Indian rupee symbol ‘₹’ in the state budget document with the Tamil letter ‘ரு' (Ru). Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu will table the state’s budget on Friday.
Tamil Nadu released the logo for the budget for the upcoming financial year on Thursday, replacing the Indian rupee symbol, which was used in the previous years with the Tamil letter ‘Ru’, referring to ‘Rubaai’, the Tamil word for rupee. Tamil Nadu’s move comes as the state is engaged in a massive row with the Centre over alleged Hindi imposition in the state. The logo also had the caption "everything for all," indicating what the ruling DMK claims is its inclusive model of governance.
சமூகத்தின் அனைத்துத் தரப்பினரும் பயன்பெறும் வகையில் தமிழ்நாட்டின் பரவலான வளர்ச்சியை உறுதி செய்திட…#DravidianModel #TNBudget2025 pic.twitter.com/83ZBFUdKZC
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) March 13, 2025
Tamil Nadu has been opposing the National Education Policy and implementation of three-language formula in the state, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre of trying to impose Hindi over non-Hindi speaking states. The row intensified after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently said funds would be released to Tamil Nadu only if NEP is implemented in its entirety.
The DMK Government's State Budget for 2025-26 replaces the Rupee Symbol designed by a Tamilian, which was adopted by the whole of Bharat and incorporated into our Currency.
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) March 13, 2025
Thiru Udhay Kumar, who designed the symbol, is the son of a former DMK MLA.
How stupid can you become,… pic.twitter.com/t3ZyaVmxmq
Tamil Nadu has been opposing the three-language policy and said the two-language policy practised in the state has worked well for them.
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However, the state BJP slammed the DMK for the move and called it a “stupid” move. Slamming the state government and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai said, “The DMK Government's State Budget for 2025-26 replaces the Rupee Symbol designed by a Tamilian, which was adopted by the whole of Bharat and incorporated into our Currency.”
Annamalai added the symbol was designed by Udhay Kumar, son of a former DMK MLA. “How stupid can you become, Thiru @mkstalin?” Annamalai asked.
