Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin Replaces Rupee Symbol with Tamil Script in Budget Logo

Chennai, 13th March 2025: The Tamil Nadu government, under Chief Minister MK Stalin, has introduced a significant change in the logo for the state’s 2025-26 budget by replacing the Rupee symbol “₹” with the Tamil script “ரூ.” This decision, announced on Thursday, comes amid ongoing linguistic debates, with the DMK-led state government and the BJP-led central administration clashing over the three-language policy in the National Education Policy (NEP).

State Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu is scheduled to present the budget on Friday. The updated logo features “ரூ” (ru), derived from the Tamil word “Rubaai,” which denotes the Indian currency in Tamil. It also carries the caption “Everything for All,” reinforcing the DMK’s governance philosophy of inclusivity.

The move has further intensified discussions around language policies, as Tamil Nadu has consistently accused the Centre of attempting to impose Hindi on non-Hindi-speaking states. CM MK Stalin has been vocal in his criticism, arguing that Hindi’s dominance has led to the decline of over 25 native languages in North India. He credited the century-old Dravidian movement for safeguarding Tamil and its cultural identity through persistent awareness campaigns and protests.

On the other hand, BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai condemned the DMK government’s decision, pointing out that the Rupee symbol “₹” was designed by Udhay Kumar, a Tamilian and the son of a former DMK MLA. He questioned the rationale behind the change, directing sharp criticism at MK Stalin.

Similarly, the BJP IT cell chief also denounced the move, arguing that by removing the nationally recognized Rupee symbol, the Tamil Nadu government was disrespecting the contributions of a Tamilian designer. He further accused Stalin of undermining Tamil identity with the modification in the budget document’s logo.