‘Even Nirmala Sitharaman Has Used Tamil Rupee Symbol’: Stalin Slams Centre For Ignoring Pleas For Funds
CM MK Stalin defended his government after Tamil Nadu's decision to replace rupee symbol with Tamil letter 'Ru' in its budget sparked a row, the BJP accused the DMK of "language chauvinism."
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin on Sunday defended the state government's decision to replace the Indian rupee symbol (₹) with the Tamil letter in the Budget logo for 2025-26, asserting that it reflected the party’s strong stance on language policy. The move has sparked sharp criticism from the BJP, with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman condemning it as an instance of “language and regional chauvinism.”
Addressing the controversy in his ‘Ungalil Oruvan’ (One Among You) video address, Stalin accused those who “dislike Tamil” of creating an unnecessary controversy. He also took a swipe at Sitharaman, alleging that she responded to the rupee symbol issue but remained silent on Tamil Nadu’s requests for central funds.
"I had released the Budget logo. We had the 'Ru' to show how determined we are in the language policy. But those who don't like Tamil made it big news," he said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
‘ரூ’ என்பது பெரிதானது ஏன்?#TNBudget2025-இல் எல்லாத் திட்டங்களும் எனக்கு நெருக்கமானவைதான் என்றாலும்; சில திட்டங்களை உருவாக்கியது எப்படி என்று பகிர்ந்துகொள்கிறேன்!#UngalilOruvanAnswers pic.twitter.com/oTl0Kcypq3
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) March 16, 2025
“We had pleaded with the Union Government to give funds for a 100-day job scheme (MGNREGA), disaster management, and release school education funds. The union finance minister (Sitharaman) who did not respond to these,” Stalin remarked.
He further argued that even Sitharaman had used 'Ru' in several posts and questioned why writing 'Rs' for rupees in English was acceptable but not 'Ru' in Tamil.
“Even she had, in many posts, used the word 'Ru'. In English, Rupees is written simply as Rs. That doesn't matter to them, but this seems to be an issue for them. Overall, our budget was a hit across the nation, as was Tamil,” he said, adding that the change symbolised the DMK’s commitment to promoting the Tamil language.
The Tamil Nadu government had earlier explained that the replacement of the rupee symbol with ‘Ru’, the first letter of ‘Rubaai’ (which denotes rupee in Tamil), was aimed at reinforcing the state’s linguistic identity.
BJP Slams Stalin Govt Move, Calls It ‘Regional Chauvinism’
The BJP has strongly objected to the decision, with Sitharaman questioning the DMK’s opposition to the rupee symbol, which was officially adopted in 2010 under the Congress-led UPA government, in which the DMK was an ally.
"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 wrote on X on Friday.
She also pointed out that the rupee symbol was designed by D. Udaya Kumar, the son of former DMK MLA N. Dharmalingam, questioning why the party was rejecting a symbol created by a Tamilian. "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.
BJP IT Cell Chief Amit Malviya echoed Sitharaman’s remarks, alleging that Stalin was “insulting Tamilians” by dropping the rupee symbol. Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai also criticised the DMK government, questioning the logic behind replacing a nationally recognised currency symbol.
"The DMK government’s Budget for 2025-26 replaces the rupee symbol, which was designed by a Tamilian and adopted by the entire nation. How stupid can you become, Thiru @mkstalin?" Annamalai posted on X.
AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami dismissed the move as a mere publicity stunt to divert attention from governance failures. In a social media post, he accused Stalin of indulging in “empty advertisement campaigns” rather than addressing people's real needs.
"CM Stalin is delivering scripted dialogues written by others. This is nothing but a political gimmick," he said, as per PTI.
The controversy over the Tamil Rupee symbol comes amid ongoing tensions between the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government and the BJP-led Union government over language policies. Stalin reiterated that his government would uphold Tamil Nadu’s two-language formula (Tamil and English) and resist any attempts to impose Hindi through the National Education Policy (NEP).
CM Stalin On Tamil Nadu Budget
"The budget we presented on Friday has received all-round accolades. Some may criticise it constructively, but others only have vendetta against us," Stalin said, defending the government’s economic policies. He also highlighted efforts to contain the state’s debt and reiterated the DMK’s goal of making Tamil Nadu a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
Additionally, Stalin warned about potential threats such as a reduction in Lok Sabha seats post-delimitation and issues related to central fund allocation, stating that the state government would continue striving for Tamil Nadu’s rights and justice.
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