Chennai: Amid tensions with the government of India over the three-language policy, the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government replaced the Devanagari rupee symbol in its Budget 2025-26 logo with a Tamil letter.
Chief Minister MK Stalin’s office stated, “This year, we have given importance to Tamil.”
The move drew sharp criticism from the BJP. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called it “regional chauvinism,” warning that it “weakens Indian unity and promotes secessionist sentiments.” Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai slammed the DMK for removing a symbol designed by Tamilian D Udaya Kumar and adopted nationally in 2010.
Sitharaman pointed out that the Tamil word ‘rubaai’ originates from Sanskrit’s ‘rupya’, and the rupee symbol is internationally recognised. “At a time when India is advancing digital payments, undermining our national currency symbol is counterproductive,” she said.
The DMK has been at odds with the BJP-led Centre on issues like delimitation and the three-language policy. An all-party meeting in Tamil Nadu recently sought a 30-year pause on delimitation, with DMK inviting Chief Ministers from seven states for talks on March 22.
A DMK leader defended the logo change, stating, “When our language and civilisation are ridiculed in Parliament, should we not preserve them?”
