- Tuesday, April 22, 2025
By: Vibhuti Pathak
In a significant move amid the ongoing three-language debate, the Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister MK Stalin, has replaced the Indian rupee symbol in the state budget logo with the Tamil letter ‘Ru’ (ரு). This marks the first instance of a state dropping the national currency symbol, sparking controversy across political circles. The decision comes in the backdrop of Tamil Nadu’s strong opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the three-language formula mandated by the central government.
The new budget logo, which will be used for the 2025-26 fiscal year, features ‘Ru,’ the first letter of the Tamil word “Rubaai,” which means rupee in Tamil. The logo also carries the slogan “Everything for All,” reflecting the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) claim of inclusive governance. Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu is set to present the state budget on Friday, unveiling the state’s economic roadmap for the coming year.
The decision has triggered a strong backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused the DMK of disregarding national symbols for political gains. Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai criticized the move, pointing out that the rupee symbol was designed by a Tamilian, Udhay Kumar, who is the son of a former DMK MLA.
“The DMK government’s decision to replace the rupee symbol is an insult to the national identity. The rupee sign, which was designed by a Tamilian, is recognized across India. How absurd can you get, Thiru @mkstalin?” Annamalai wrote on social media, while also sharing the 2024-25 Tamil Nadu budget logo, which featured the national currency symbol.
Narayanan Thirupathy, another BJP spokesperson, further criticized the move, stating that it reflects the DMK’s “separatist” stance and its intent to position itself as different from India. He argued that the rupee symbol is a globally recognized representation of the Indian economy, and such modifications only serve to create unnecessary divisions.
The controversy surrounding Tamil Nadu’s language policies has already led to financial repercussions. The central government has withheld ₹573 crore in education funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), citing the state’s refusal to comply with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The policy requires states to follow the three-language formula to be eligible for central education assistance, with Tamil Nadu being one of the few states strongly opposing it.
Under the PM SHRI scheme, states must sign an MoU with the central government agreeing to implement the NEP 2020 in exchange for funding. Tamil Nadu, however, has refused to adopt key aspects of the policy, resulting in a funding deadlock.
As the Tamil Nadu government continues to assert its regional identity through symbolic gestures like altering the budget logo, the political discourse surrounding linguistic and cultural autonomy versus national integration is likely to intensify in the coming months.
