CHENNAI: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday strongly criticized the DMK government for replacing the official rupee symbol (₹) with the Tamil letter ‘Ru’ in the Tamil Nadu Budget 2025-26 documents. She questioned why the DMK had not raised objections back in 2010 when the symbol was officially adopted under the Congress-led UPA government, of which the DMK was a part.
“The DMK government has reportedly removed the official rupee symbol ‘₹’ from the Tamil Nadu Budget 2025-26 documents. If the DMK has a problem with ‘₹,’ why didn’t it protest back in 2010 when it was officially adopted under the INC-led UPA government, at a time when the DMK was part of the ruling alliance at the Centre₹” Sitharaman posted.
She further said that by removing the symbol, the DMK was not only rejecting a national emblem but also disregarding the creative efforts of a Tamil youth, Udaya Kumar, who designed the rupee symbol.
Rupee Symbol’s Tamil, Sanskrit Roots
Sitharaman highlighted that the Tamil word ‘rupaai’ has origins in the Sanskrit term ‘rupya,’ which means ‘wrought silver’ or ‘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 stated.
She also emphasized that the rupee is an internationally recognized currency and plays a vital role in India’s 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₹” she asked.
DMK Accused of Promoting ‘Regional Chauvinism’
Condemning the move, Sitharaman accused the DMK of regional chauvinism and claimed it weakened India’s 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,” she wrote.
She also noted that all elected representatives are sworn under the Constitution to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of the nation. “Removing a national symbol like ‘₹’ from the state Budget documents goes against that very oath, weakening the commitment to national unity,” she said.
BJP’s Annamalai Calls It ‘Laughable’
Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai also hit out at CM MK Stalin, calling the move both condemnable and laughable. He pointed out that the rupee symbol was originally designed by Tamilian Udaya Kumar, the son of former DMK MLA N Dharmalingam.
“In 2010, a Tamilian, Udaya Kumar, designed the rupee symbol, which was a combination of Latin and Devanagari script. He was appreciated by Kalaignar Karunanidhi, who was then Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister. Now, in 2025, CM Stalin has rejected it because they oppose the Devanagari script,” Annamalai told ANI.
He further alleged that the DMK’s decision was an attempt to divert attention from more pressing public issues. “The DMK has become a laughing stock across India. They are doing this to distract people from real governance failures,” he remarked.
Political Row Over Tamil Nadu’s New Budget Logo
The controversy erupted after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin released a video unveiling the new Budget logo, which replaces the rupee symbol with the Tamil letter ‘Ru’. The move has triggered a heated political debate, with BJP leaders accusing the DMK of linguistic and regional bias.
With the Budget set to be presented in the Assembly on March 14, the rupee symbol issue has added fuel to the ongoing political tensions between the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government and the BJP-led Centre.