Tamil Nadu, Amid Ongoing Confrontation With Centre, Changes Rs Symbol To Tamil ‘Ru’
Tamil Nadu has replaced the rupee symbol in promotional materials for the state’s 2025/26 budget, which will be presented on Friday, with the Tamil letter for ‘Ru’. The move comes amid an ongoing language debate between the DMK government and the BJP-led Centre.
The decision, which has not yet been formally announced by the Tamil Nadu government, reflects the state’s longstanding resistance to the imposition of Hindi. DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai dismissed concerns, stating, “There is nothing illegal about it… this is not a ‘showdown’. We prioritise Tamil, and that is why the government went ahead with this.”
However, the state BJP has strongly criticised the decision. Party spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy accused the DMK of engaging in divisive politics, claiming, “The Stalin government thinks Tamil Nadu is different from India. This is just another distraction from their failures in governance.”
“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. Thiru Udhay Kumar, who designed the symbol, is the son of a former DMK MLA. How stupid can you become, Thiru MK Stalin?,” asked BJP state president K Annamalai.
This controversy unfolds as Tamil Nadu prepares for an electoral battle next year, where the DMK and AIADMK are set to compete fiercely, while the BJP seeks to expand its influence in a state where it has traditionally struggled. The rupee symbol change is being viewed as part of a broader cultural and linguistic assertion by the DMK, which has long positioned itself as a defender of Tamil identity.
At the heart of this confrontation is the National Education Policy (NEP), which mandates a three-language system requiring students in Class 8 and above to learn a third language from a list that includes Hindi. Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed this provision, sticking to its two-language policy of Tamil and English. Chief Minister MK Stalin has argued that this system has worked well for the state and sees no need for change.
The BJP, however, insists that the three-language policy will benefit students travelling to other states and stresses that Hindi is not being forced upon anyone. The language debate has been a sensitive issue in Tamil Nadu for decades, with anti-Hindi protests dating back to the 1960s shaping the state’s linguistic policies.
Adding fuel to the political fire, Stalin recently accused the BJP of using the NEP to push a “saffron agenda” and claimed the Centre was attempting to manipulate electoral constituencies to maintain power in northern states. Addressing a public rally, he declared, “We oppose NEP as it will completely destroy Tamil Nadu’s educational growth. The BJP is trying to increase its number of MPs in the North to sustain its rule, but we will stop it.”
Stalin also claimed the NEP was an attempt to erode Tamil Nadu’s social justice policies, alleging that it does not support reservations and is designed to introduce caste-based vocational education. His remarks come amid growing opposition within the state to central policies perceived as infringing on regional autonomy.
