NEW DELHI: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday strongly hit out at Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin for dropping rupee symbol from logo of the state budget, terming the move a “completely avoidable example of language and regional chauvinism”. The minister added that the DMK government’s action showcases “a dangerous mindset that weakens Indian unity”.
In a series of posts in both Tamil and English on social media platform X, Sitharaman said, “The DMK government has reportedly removed the official Rupee symbol ‘₹’ from the Tamil Nadu Budget 2025-26 documents, which will be presented tomorrow. If the DMK has a problem with ‘₹’, why didn’t it protest back in 2010 when it was officially adopted under the Congress-led UPA government, at a time when the DMK was part of the ruling alliance at the Centre?”
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“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. Moreover, the Tamil word ‘Rupaai’ (ரூபாய்) 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. 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,” Sitharaman wrote.
“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,” the finance minister said.
Terming the move a “dangerous mindset”, she said, “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.”
Intensifying its linguistic standoff with the Centre, the Tamil Nadu government replaced the rupee symbol with a Tamil letter in its Budget 2025-26 logo. The move underscores the DMK-led government’s strong opposition to the three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP).
The decision comes amid a heated political debate, with chief minister MK Stalin accusing the Centre of attempting to impose Hindi in Tamil Nadu through NEP, which he termed a “saffron policy” designed to promote Hindi rather than national development. The DMK has repeatedly stated that Tamil Nadu will not accept “Hindi colonialism” as a replacement for British colonial rule.
While the Union government has dismissed these allegations, calling the DMK’s stance “dishonest” and harmful to students’ futures, the language dispute continues to fuel tensions.
The newly unveiled budget logo features ‘ru,’ the first letter of the Tamil word ‘Rubaai,’ which signifies rupee in the local language. Alongside, the logo carries the caption “everything for all,” reflecting the DMK’s pledge to inclusive governance.
Tamil Nadu finance minister Thangam Thennarasu is set to present the budget on Friday, with the rupee symbol controversy likely to remain a focal point in the state’s ongoing ideological battle with the Centre.
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