Defending his government's move to replace the rupee symbol with the Tamil letter 'Ru' in the state Budget logo, Chief Minister MK Stalin said even Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had used the Tamil letter instead of the rupee symbol.
Mr Stalin alleged those opposing the use of the Tamil language blew the issue out of proportion. He told reporters the decision was a reflection of Tamil Nadu's commitment to its language policy.
The southern state has been on a warpath with the Centre over implementing the New Education Policy (NEP) and the three-language formula.
"Interestingly, Nirmala Sitharaman herself used the Tamil letter instead of Re [for rupee] in English," Mr Stalin told reporters.
The decision to remove the rupee symbol from the Tamil Nadu Budget 2025-26 logo, presented on March 14, drew criticism from opposition parties, including the BJP and the AIADMK.
They alleged the DMK has been engaging in regional politics at the cost of national unity.
Ms Sitharaman condemned the MK Stalin government's decision, calling it "a completely avoidable example of language and regional chauvinism." She said removing the rupee symbol signalled "a dangerous mindset that weakens Indian unity and promotes secessionist sentiments under the pretence of regional pride."
The Union Finance Minister reminded elected representatives of their constitutional duty to uphold national sovereignty, adding the DMK's move contradicted this commitment. She highlighted the irony behind the decision, pointing out that the rupee symbol was designed by 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," Ms Sitharaman said.
BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya slammed Mr Stalin and pointed out that the rupee symbol was designed in Devanagari script by Mr Kumar.
AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami, called the move a "publicity stunt" designed to divert attention from administrative failures. He accused Mr Stalin of engaging in "empty advertisement campaigns" rather than addressing real needs of the people.
Launching a strong attack on Mr Stalin and his party, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai asked in a social media post, "... How foolish can you become?"
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.
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) March 13, 2025
Thiru Udhay Kumar, who designed the symbol, is the son of a former DMK MLA.
How stupid can you become,... pic.twitter.com/t3ZyaVmxmq
The Tamil Nadu government said the Budget logo aims to reflect the state's linguistic identity. The logo also carries the caption "Everything for All," which the DMK said embodies its inclusive governance model.
Mr Stalin said the Centre responded only to the rupee symbol issue while ignoring Tamil Nadu's demands for disaster relief, education funds, and employment schemes. The DMK has repeatedly accused the Centre of imposing Hindi, and the removal of the rupee symbol was seen as part of this broader resistance.
This also marks the first time a state has rejected the national currency symbol, escalating the debate over regional identity versus national unity.
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