Stalin government replaces Rupee symbol with Tamil letter in state budget amid language row

[javier26]

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu government, led by MK Stalin, on Thursday replaced the Rupee symbol "₹" with the Tamil script "ரூ" in the logo for the state's 2025-26 budget. This move comes amid the ongoing language debate, with the BJP-led central government and the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government once again at odds over the NEP's three-language policy.

Tamil Nadu finance minister Thangam Thennarasu is set to present the 2025-26 budget on Friday.
The budget logo features "ரூ" (ru), the first letter of the Tamil word "Rubaai," which represents the Indian currency in the Tamil language.
 

It also includes the caption "Everything for All," reflecting the ruling DMK’s emphasis on an inclusive model of governance.

 

This move has further fuelled the language debate, with Tamil Nadu repeatedly accusing the Centre of trying to "impose Hindi" on southern states.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin strongly criticised the central government, arguing that the push for Hindi threatens the diversity of regional languages in North India.

 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/tamil-nadu-replaces-rupee-symbol-with-tamil-letter-in-budget-logo/articleshow/118972164.cms

[javier26]

Nirmala Sitharaman slams MK Stalin's DMK over 'Rs' move: 'Promotes secessionist sentiment

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday slammed the Tamil Nadu government's move to replace the rupee symbol.

 

“If the DMK (@arivalayam) has a problem with ‘ ₹’, why didn’t it protest back in 2010 when it was officially adopted under the @INCIndia -led UPA government, at a time when the DMK was part of the ruling alliance at the Centre? Ironically, ‘ ₹’ was designed by Th. D Udaya Kumar, the son of former DMK MLA N. Dharmalingam. By erasing it now, the DMK is not only rejecting a national symbol but also utterly disregarding the creative contribution of a Tamil youth,” Sitharaman said in an X post

 

 

The Tamil government has replaced the Indian rupee symbol with a Tamil letter in its logo for the 2025-26 budget, to be tabled in the Assembly on Friday.

The logo for the budget, released by the government on Thursday carried 'Ru', the first letter of the Tamil word 'Rubaai', which denotes the Indian currency in the vernacular language.

 

“All elected representatives and authorities are sworn under the Constitution to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of our nation. Removing a national symbol like ' ₹' from the State Budget documents goes against that very oath, weakening the commitment to national unity,” Sitharaman added.

 

Continuing her attack, the finance minister said,"This is more than mere symbolism—it signals a dangerous mindset that weakens Indian unity and promotes secessionist sentiments under the pretence of regional pride. A completely avoidable example of language and regional chauvinism."

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/nirmala-sitharaman-slams-mk-stalins-dmk-over-rs-move-promotes-secessionist-sentiment-101741884406363.html

 

 

 

 

[singhvivek141]

DMK is desperate now. They are aware that the facade that they've created for decades to fool the Tamil people is slowly crumbling down.
Tamilians and their next-gen kids are now spread in different parts of country (Mumbai, Delhi, Varanasi, Luckow etc) and they're calling out the Christianization of Tamil Nadu at a global level.
DMK is just throwing tantrums here and there to provoke a response from Center, which then it will use to ignite the regional sentiments of Tamils by playing their cards through the controlled media.

[velu]

Smart guys like @Vicks57 will fall for this stupid stunt

[coffee_rules]

1 hour ago, velu said:

Smart guys like @Vicks57 will fall for this stupid stunt

I read it as stupid cu*t and was still agreeing to it

[Muloghonto]

We don't expect better from Southern dehatis who think it's good idea to elect retarded man with retarded name after one of world's worst genocidal authoritarian. 

They also don't think it's a biggie to have genocidemongers in their govt. 

Message received. 

It's war with dmk. We will solve dmk by solving the rot in Tamil culture itself. Na rahega baans na bajegi  baansuri. 

 

Time to take a page outta tywin lannister playbook and do a rains of castermere on Tamil identity. 

[randomGuy]

1. It is the tamil people who lose out by not speaking/understanding hindi where people from all other states talk in Hindi in workplace, sports, hanging out. I have seen first hand. Hinders their socialization.

 

2. All other state boards offer hindi except TN state board. 

 

TN state board Enrollment: Enrollment dropped from 12.85 million (2010) to 10.9 million (2025), reflecting population slowdown and a shift to CBSE (1.52 million students).

 

^^In TN itself, CBSE schools have grown from 250 in 2004 to 1650 in 2025. CBSE schools in TN obviously offer hindi language.

 

3. In NEP, hindi isn't anyways mandatory as 3rd language yet DMK opposing it. 

 

 

 

[singhvivek141]

1 hour ago, Vicks57 said:

Dude, we have been using tamil 'Ru' since independence.

 

Everyone used their own version till we had the symbol.

 

But once the symbol ₹ became common, it is being used at every length, breadth of the country. Whats the point now in going back to the old symbol ? Just to show that we don't agree with "center" ?

 

BJP is winning the states, coz it has actually has done welfare to the people. Highways are constructed at a rapid pace, we are electricity surplus country, digitization has increased which is appraised all over the world, people have access to basic needs, bank accounts, there are less security incidents all over the country.

[singhvivek141]

8 minutes ago, Vicks57 said:

 

Thing is their own version is still used in many parts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

 

Nirmala Sitharaman used tamil rupee version even after adopting the new symbol. So What's your response to that?

 

Different people do things to elucit different responses.

 

DMK is using this symbol to trigger BJP and it is working like a charm thanks to BJP being dumb.

An individual doing it on his/her personal space is different that a govt doing it publicly.

Take this like Modiji can speak in Hindi if he wants to, but if he orders every govt document to be in Hindi then it will be an issue..coz along with Hindi, English too is an official language of the center.

 

Anyway, my 2 cent is DMK is playing with fire. If they start behaving like Kejriwal, then things might take a wrong turn in the center-state coordination. 

[singhvivek141]

2 hours ago, Vicks57 said:

BJP has already destroyed the only alternative to DMK which is the ADMK.

How BJP did that ?

AFAIK, the whole issue happened coz there was no successor for Late. Jayalalitha ji.

Unlike Karunanidhi, who has a whole family tree behind.

[putrevus]

16 minutes ago, singhvivek141 said:

How BJP did that ?

AFAIK, the whole issue happened coz there was no successor for Late. Jayalalitha ji.

Unlike Karunanidhi, who has a whole family tree behind.

This nepotism in politcs has to stop.His son who is an actor if I am not wrong is again a minister under his father.These guys are all about themselves.

 

 

[ravishingravi]

Basic qualifying criteria to be dravidian DMK is to have IQ less than 50. Anyone higher IQ will have allergic rashes all over around Dravidians. Numbnuts keep falling for this kind of stuff. 

Edited March 14 by ravishingravi

[singhvivek141]

8 minutes ago, putrevus said:

This nepotism in politcs has to stop.His son who is an actor if I am not wrong is again a minister under his father.These guys are all about themselves.

Problem is all politicial parties are like that (minus BJP)

They're brainchild of one individual who will stick to the power and groom his/her kin to take the leadership.
In Shiv Sena...Uddhav took over from BalaSaheb
NCP...Sharad pawar and her daughter

SP...Mulayam and now his son 
DMK...Karunanidhi and his kin

TRS...KCR and KTR
Congress...we all know at depth about them

BJP is aloof coz it's faces has been bachelors. Vajpayee, Modi and probably next in line Yogi too. Plus it's decision making is very closely directed by RSS. 

[putrevus]

19 minutes ago, singhvivek141 said:

Problem is all politicial parties are like that (minus BJP)

They're brainchild of one individual who will stick to the power and groom his/her kin to take the leadership.
In Shiv Sena...Uddhav took over from BalaSaheb
NCP...Sharad pawar and her daughter

SP...Mulayam and now his son 
DMK...Karunanidhi and his kin

TRS...KCR and KTR
Congress...we all know at depth about them

BJP is aloof coz it's faces has been bachelors. Vajpayee, Modi and probably next in line Yogi too. Plus it's decision making is very closely directed by RSS. 

You are right,

 

One exception was TDP under NTR , he did not even let his sons into secretariat . They kicked him out and Babu along his sons killed him.He could have easily made his sons who were more popular than Naidu ministers .

 

Since then his sons have become MLA and MPs.

 

Amit Shah has  used his muscle to provide cozy things for his nepo kid Jay Shah.

 

 

[mishra]

48 minutes ago, randomGuy said:

1. It is the tamil people who lose out by not speaking/understanding hindi where people from all other states talk in Hindi in workplace, sports, hanging out. I have seen first hand. Hinders their socialization.

 

2. All other state boards offer hindi except TN state board. 

 

TN state board Enrollment: Enrollment dropped from 12.85 million (2010) to 10.9 million (2025), reflecting population slowdown and a shift to CBSE (1.52 million students).

 

^^In TN itself, CBSE schools have grown from 250 in 2004 to 1650 in 2025. CBSE schools in TN obviously offer hindi language.

 

3. In NEP, hindi isn't anyways mandatory as 3rd language yet DMK opposing it. 

 

 

 

Language is key skill in career.

Its recorded that English history that they did Social experiment in India on Tamils by teaching them their language and ways. Tamil population had a decisive lead for long time. However rest of India has caught of on this supposedly English lead. 
However, Hindi is a language which also gives you advantage in India. Specially social networking among professionals. I see DMK lovers loosing the ground if they do not build on Hindi skill. 

[velu]

1 hour ago, putrevus said:

This nepotism in politcs has to stop.His son who is an actor if I am not wrong is again a minister under his father.These guys are all about themselves.

 

 

 

 

deputy chief minister now  

 

this is age old incident .

TR Balu was DMK Lok sabha leader for a very long time ..

when dayanidhi maran got elected they appoined him as DMK lok sabha ( and TR Balu got klpd ) giving the reason as he can speak hindi  

 

these hardcore dmk guys at grassroot levels are dumb and clown who job is to service few dmk families for their entire life ( and their kids will continue servicing them ) 

[Gollum]

Classic diversion tactic, huge TASMAC (liquor monopoly by state govt) scam getting buried. Don't call DMK dumb, they are smart, always a step ahead of the rest in TN, Karunanidhi and Maran families are what you call evil genius. I am no fan of them, but they know very well how politics is played in India. 

 

BJP arrogantly and foolishly took down AIADMK, the only legit counterbalance to DMK/DK. Similar blunder in Punjab with Akalis. Ab bhugato. 

Edited March 14 by Gollum

[randomGuy]

35 minutes ago, mishra said:

Language is key skill in career.

Its recorded that English history that they did Social experiment in India on Tamils by teaching them their language and ways. Tamil population had a decisive lead for long time. However rest of India has caught of on this supposedly English lead. 
However, Hindi is a language which also gives you advantage in India. Specially social networking among professionals. I see DMK lovers loosing the ground if they do not build on Hindi skill. 

Demographics is key also....TN reached replacement rate tfr of 2.1 in arnd 1995 , today it has tfr 1.4 that means in 1  generation (20 yrs), they will ensure that they will be 33% less in future, and so on. TN itself is just a ~7 cr population state vs 140 cr RoI which interacts in hindi in a inter-state setting. So, intelligent people in TN can see the handicap n will themselves would want their children to learn Hindi. Otherwise only their loss.

[Muloghonto]

2 minutes ago, randomGuy said:

Demographics is key also....TN reached replacement rate tfr of 2.1 in arnd 1995 , today it has tfr 1.4 that means in 1  generation (20 yrs), they will ensure that they will be 33% less in future, and so on. TN itself is just a ~7 cr population state vs 140 cr RoI which interacts in hindi in a inter-state setting. So, intelligent people in TN can see the handicap n will themselves would want their children to learn Hindi. Otherwise only their loss.

Demographics is destiny. 

There's a reason why kattar nationalists like me advocate Demographic flood into the south.. that is the final checkmate to the anti India forces in the south. 

[randomGuy]

11 minutes ago, Muloghonto said:

Demographics is destiny. 

There's a reason why kattar nationalists like me advocate Demographic flood into the south.. that is the final checkmate to the anti India forces in the south. 

Interesting thing is that for muslims, in Karnataka (except maybe south Karnataka) and telengana, urdu is the first language, the mother tongue. Whereas not so in tamilnadu and kerala, (tamil n malyalam being the mother tongue for muslims there).