The replacement of Devanagari-inspired ₹ with Tamil letter ரூ came to light when Stalin posted a cover carrying the logo on X.
Published Mar 13, 2025 | 3:29 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 13, 2025 | 3:29 PM
The logo of the budget that MK Stalin posted on X.
Synopsis: A cover, apparently of the Budget document Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin posted on X used the Tamil letter ரூ instead of the official rupee symbol, ₹. The move comes even as Tamil Nadu is vehemently opposing the imposition of Hindi. BJP state president K Annamalai termed Stalin’s act “stupid.”
The Tamil Nadu government dropped the official rupee symbol (₹) and replaced it with the Tamil letter, ரூ.
The move gained significance since the MK Stalin-led DMK government has been vociferously opposing the imposition of Hindi.
The replacement of Devanagari-inspired ₹ came to light when Stalin posted a cover carrying the logo on X.
“Tamil Nadu Budget 2025-26. Everything for Everyone,” the cover read. Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu would present the state Budget on Friday, 14 March.
Normally, the cover of the Budget document carried the state’s logo. However, it was missing on the cover that Stalin had posted.
Tamil Nadu’s replacement of the rupee symbol with ரூ (Ru) came at a time the state has been opposing the use of regional languages in official communications.
Stalin had, on Wednesday, 12 March, criticised the National Education Policy (NEP), terming it saffronised policy meant to prioritise Hindi over Tamil Nadu’s educational needs.
Amid raging language debate, #TamilNadu state budget logo features a Tamil 'ரூ' Symbol#TamilNadu government dropped the traditional symbol of the Indian rupee and used the Tamil symbol ரூ as a budget logo. pic.twitter.com/4GiSJjF0FF
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) March 13, 2025
The issue had reached a flashpoint in Parliament on 10 March when Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the DMK was working against the interests of the students by not implementing the NEP.
During the Pradhan’s address, DMK MPs raised slogans against the Union government, which led Pradhan to term the DMK MPs as “undemocratic and uncivilised”.
Pradhan later withdrew his comments, even as DMK MPs held a protest outside Parliament.
Stalin reacted sharply to the Union minister’s comments, saying the latter spoke with arrogance as if he was a king and needed to learn restraint.
“You deny Tamil Nadu its rightful funds and then have the audacity to call Tamil Nadu MPs uncivilised? You are insulting the people of Tamil Nadu. Does Hon’ble Prime Minister @narendramodi approve of this? Wasn’t it you who wrote to me stating that Tamil Nadu has completely rejected NEP, the three-language policy, and the PM SHRI MoU?” Stalin asked on X.
“Mr. Pradhan, we act only according to the will of the people! Unlike you, we do not take orders from Nagpur! We will neither implement your flawed policies nor can anyone force us to do so. First, answer this—can you release the rightful funds for Tamil Nadu students, the tax revenue you have collected from us, or not?” he asked further.
An anti-Hindi agitation has been going on in Tamil Nadu after Pradhan said that the funds under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) would not be released for Tamil Nadu if it did not implement the NEP.
However, Stalin said the state would not implement it even if the Union government allotted ₹10,000 crore for implementing NEP.
NEP mandates a three-language policy in education, where the native/regional language would be the first language, English as the second language and any other Indian language as the third language.
Critics have been arguing that it is a move to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states. Tamil Nadu and other South Indian states have been opposing NEP, terming it as the Union government’s imposition of Hindi.
Stalin had also stated that the state would not “oppose (Hindi) if you don’t impose”.
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,… pic.twitter.com/t3ZyaVmxmq
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) March 13, 2025
BJP state president K Annamalai termed the replacement of the rupee symbol stupid.
“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 @mkstalin,” Annamalai asked on X.
