Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has sparked fresh controversy by replacing the official rupee symbol with the Tamil letter for ‘ru’ from the Tamil word ‘rubai’ (meaning rupees) in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Budget 2025-26. This unexpected decision has intensified the ongoing language debate between the Tamil Nadu government and the central administration. The teaser for the state budget, set to be presented on March 14, 2025, prominently featured the new logo, omitting the official rupee symbol that had been used in the previous two state budgets. The teaser, shared by Stalin on X (formerly Twitter), included the hashtags #DravidianModel and #TNBudget2025, reflecting Tamil Nadu’s ideological stance. In the teaser post, Stalin expressed his government’s commitment to ensuring the widespread development of Tamil Nadu for the benefit of all sections of society. However, the decision to exclude the widely recognized rupee symbol has drawn strong criticism from opposition parties. The rupee symbol, designed by Udaya Kumar Dharmalingam, a professor at IIT-Guwahati, was adopted in 2010 as the official representation of India’s currency. Notably, Udaya Kumar is the son of a former DMK MLA, adding complexity to the ongoing debate.
 

This marks the first instance of a state government rejecting the national currency symbol in favor of a regional character. The move is seen by critics as a symbolic gesture of the DMK’s continued resistance against national policies such as the National Education Policy (NEP) and the three-language formula. Supporters of the decision view it as a proud assertion of Tamil identity, while opponents argue that it isolates Tamil Nadu from national unity. The Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai condemned the move, accusing Stalin of rejecting a symbol designed by a Tamilian himself. In a post on X, Annamalai criticized Stalin for making Tamil Nadu a “laughingstock of the nation.” He questioned Stalin’s logic behind removing a symbol created by one of Tamil Nadu’s own citizens, remarking, “How stupid can you become Mr MK Stalin?” Annamalai further accused the DMK government of undermining Tamil Nadu’s identity by politicizing the budget’s presentation. AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan also criticized Stalin, warning that the Chief Minister’s move was politically motivated and designed to provoke public sentiment under the guise of promoting Tamil rights. He argued that Stalin’s decision does not serve Tamil Nadu’s interests and accused him of exploiting state pride to gain political mileage.
 

Defending the move, DMK spokesperson A Saravanan clarified that the change was not intended to reject the official rupee symbol but was instead aimed at promoting the Tamil language. Saravanan explained that the Tamil character for ‘ru’ was selected as a symbolic gesture to celebrate Tamil culture rather than as a statement against the national currency symbol. He emphasized that the decision aligns with Tamil Nadu’s rich linguistic heritage and its commitment to preserving regional identity. The removal of the rupee symbol has triggered widespread debate across social media platforms. While DMK supporters have welcomed the decision as a proud assertion of Tamil culture, critics argue that abandoning the national symbol could alienate Tamil Nadu from the broader national context. Many believe that Stalin’s move was politically motivated, especially given the upcoming state budget presentation, while others see it as a meaningful step in promoting Tamil identity.
 

In the past, the Tamil Nadu government had used the official rupee symbol in its budget logos for 2023-24 and 2024-25. The decision to replace it in the 2025-26 budget is viewed by some as a statement against perceived cultural imposition by the central government. The DMK’s history of opposing the NEP, the imposition of Hindi, and the three-language formula reflects their strong stance on preserving Tamil Nadu’s linguistic and cultural identity. With the Tamil Nadu budget presentation scheduled for March 14, 2025, the controversy continues to fuel political tension in the state. The decision’s impact on public perception remains uncertain, but it has undoubtedly reignited the long-standing debate about language pride versus national unity. As the budget date nears, the controversy surrounding the logo change underscores the complex intersection of politics, identity, and cultural pride in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape.