Tamil Nadu’s government has replaced the rupee symbol (₹) with a Tamil letter (Ru) in promotional material for the 2025/26 state budget. The budget, set to be presented on Friday, carries the tagline “everything for everyone.” This change was noticed after Chief Minister MK Stalin shared the updated logo on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Last year’s budget posters featured the traditional rupee symbol.
The move is seen as part of the ruling DMK’s ongoing battle with the BJP-led central government over what they call ‘Hindi imposition.’ This refers to the National Education Policy (NEP), which pushes for a three-language system, including Hindi. The Tamil Nadu government has long resisted this policy, promoting Tamil and English instead.
Political reactions to the change
So far, the state government has not released an official statement explaining the symbol swap. However, DMK leader Saravanan Annadurai defended the decision. He told a news outlet, “There is nothing illegal about it… this is not a ‘showdown’. We prioritise Tamil… that is why the government went ahead with this.”
The BJP, on the other hand, criticised the move sharply. BJP state spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said the change signals that the DMK is trying to appear “different from India.” He accused the party of using this to distract people from its failures.
BJP state unit chief K Annamalai also condemned the decision. He posted on X, calling the move “stupid.” He pointed out that the rupee symbol, adopted in 2010, was designed by the son of a former DMK MLA. “How stupid can you become?” he asked.
Former Governor and senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundarajan also criticised the DMK. She argued the change “is against the Constitution” and accused the ruling party of “working against the national interest.” She added, “They should focus on basic issues rather than changing alphabets.” In a more personal attack, she challenged Chief Minister Stalin to “change his name to a Tamil alternative” if he was serious about prioritising Tamil.
This symbol change is part of a larger, ongoing conflict between the DMK and the BJP-led central government. The disagreement centres around the National Education Policy (NEP), which requires students in Class VIII and above to study a third language from a list of 22 languages, including Hindi.
The Tamil Nadu government opposes this policy, arguing that the state’s two-language system—Tamil and English—works well. Tamil Nadu, the second-largest contributor to India’s economy, believes the NEP’s push for a third language is unnecessary. DMK leaders say the policy is a way to force Hindi onto non-Hindi-speaking states.
The BJP, however, insists the policy will help people when they travel to other states. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently accused the DMK of creating a “false narrative for political ends” to gain voter support before the upcoming election.
This language conflict has led to heated exchanges between Mr. Stalin and Mr. Pradhan. After Mr. Pradhan said the centre would withhold ₹2,150 crore in funds if Tamil Nadu didn’t implement the NEP, Mr. Stalin accused him of “blackmail.”
Mr. Stalin has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to step in. He called the NEP a “saffronization policy” designed to promote Hindi rather than improve education. He warned that it would “completely destroy the Tamil Nadu education system.”
A history of language protests
Tamil Nadu has a long history of resisting Hindi imposition. In the 1960s, massive anti-Hindi protests rocked the state. Many believe those protests shaped the DMK’s rise to power. Chief Minister Stalin referenced this history, saying, “History is clear. Those who tried to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu have either been defeated or later changed their stance and aligned with DMK.” He called the NEP “Hindi colonialism replacing British colonialism” and said, “Tamil Nadu will not tolerate Hindi colonialism.”
The BJP counters this argument by pointing to recent decisions made by the central government to support regional languages. For example, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said candidates can now take the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) entrance exam in 13 regional languages, including Tamil. He urged Mr. Stalin to introduce medical and engineering courses in Tamil.
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