Tamil Nadu govt replaces rupee symbol with Tamil letter in state budget logo, draws Centre ire

The logo, released by the office of Chief Minister M K Stalin, which read ‘Ellorkkum Ellaam’ (Everything for Everyone), carried ‘ru’, the first letter of the Tamil word ‘rubaai’ which denotes the Indian currency in the vernacular language.

A source in the Chief Minister’s Office told The Indian Express: “This year we have given importance to Tamil over the Devanagari script”.

The ruling DMK’s spokesperson Savaranan Annadurai said: “We just wanted to give importance to Tamil this year.”

The change in the TN Budget logo, posted on X by state BJP chief Annamalai. (PTI)

The BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit K president Annamalai said, “The DMK government’s 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… How stupid can you be?”.

Annamalai was referring to the rupee symbol design by D Udaya Kumar, son of former DMK MLA N Dharmalingam. It was approved by the UPA government in 2010.

Sitharaman, in a post on X, said, “If the DMK 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,” she said.

“Moreover, the Tamil word ‘Rupaai’ itself has deep roots in the Sanskrit word ‘Rupya,’ meaning ‘wrought silver’ or ‘a worked silver coin.’ This term has resonated across centuries in Tamil trade and literature, and even today, ‘Rupaai’ remains the currency name in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka,” she said.

“In fact, several countries, including Indonesia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka, officially use ‘Rupee’ or its ‘equivalent/derivatives’ as their currency name.”

“Rupee symbol ‘₹’ is internationally well-recognized and serves as a visible identity of India in global financial transactions. At a time when India is pushing for cross-border payments using UPI, should we really be undermining our own national currency symbol?”

“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.”

“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,” Sitharaman said.

The ruling DMK has been at loggerheads with the BJP-led Centre over the issue of delimitation and, more recently, the three-language policy under the NEP, calling it imposition of Hindi on the Tamil public.

At an all-party meeting held in Tamil Nadu earlier this month, a resolution was passed to pause the delimitation exercise at least for 30 years. The DMK has also invited Chief Ministers of seven states to join a meeting against delimitation on March 22.

The decision to change the logo, sources said, was approved by Stalin himself,. “There is an ongoing language tussle. The Centre should acknowledge the same. We do not want Hindi imposition on any front,” the source said.

“When our language and civilisation are being ridiculed even in Parliament, should we not try to preserve it?” a DMK leader asked. The leader was referring to a remark – later withdrawn and expunged – by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan that had Tamil Nadu MPs protesting in Lok Sabha on March 10.

DMK MP Arun Nehru said, “The minister insulted not just DMK MPs but the Tamil people.”

The rupee symbol was designed by D Udaya Kumar, son of former DMK MLA N. Dharmalingam. He now heads the IIT Guwahati design department.

The symbol was approved in 2010 by the UPA when Pranab Mukherjee was Union Finance Minister.

When contacted, Udaya Kumar said he was unaware of the reasons behind the DMK government’s decision.

“The language politics is a very long-standing issue…. I am an academician and I would like to be involved in that. There are just multiple coincidences connecting me with this issue… Yes, I am the son of a politician but my father was a politician even before I was born, and my siblings and I have never been involved in politics at all. I was more inclined towards academics. He is also not involved in politics anymore,” he said.