'Promotes Secessionist Sentiments': Nirmala Sitharaman Slams DMK Over 'Rs' Symbol Move
Tamil Nadu's replacement of the rupee symbol with the Tamil letter for 'Ru' in its state budget logo sparked controversy, with Nirmala Sitharaman condemning it as a threat to Indian unity.
A row has erupted in Tamil Nadu after the MK Stalin government in the state replaced the rupee symbol with the Tamil letter for 'Ru' in the state budget logo. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday slammed the state government's move to replace the symbol.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she said that the move 'signals a dangerous mindset that weakens Indian unity and promotes secessionist sentiments under the pretence of regional pride' and is a 'completely avoidable example of language and regional chauvinism'.
"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," she said, and added, "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."
She also questioned why DMK didn’t protest back in 2010 when it was officially adopted under the Congess-led UPA government, when the DMK was part of the ruling alliance at the Centre.
She added that the Tamil word ‘Rupaai’ itself has deep roots in the Sanskrit word ‘Rupya,’ and the term has resonated across centuries in Tamil trade and literature. She pointed that even today, ‘Rupaai’ remains the currency name in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
She also cited that countries like Indonesia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Seychelles and Sri Lanka officially using rupee or its 'equivalent/derivatives' as their currency name.
The DMK government has reportedly removed the official Rupee symbol ‘₹’ from the Tamil Nadu Budget 2025-26 documents, which will be presented tomorrow.
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) March 13, 2025
If the DMK (@arivalayam) has a problem with ‘₹’, why didn’t it protest back in 2010 when it was officially adopted under the…
BJP Leaders Of The State Slam DMK
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in the state has also slammed the DMK for this move. The party's state unit chief K Annamalai pointed that the current symbol for rupee has been deigned by a Tamilian who is also the son of a former DMK MLA.
"The DMK Government's State Budget for 2025-26 replaces the Rupee Symbol designed by a Tamilian, which was adopted by the whole of Bharat and incorporated into our Currency. Thiru Udhay Kumar, who designed the symbol, is the son of a former DMK MLA," Annamalai said in a post on X.
"How stupid can you become, Thiru @mkstalin?" he added.
Party leader Tamilisai Soundarajan asked the Stalin government why do they want to "dramatise" the budget like this when they have ruled the state for so long and have presented budget so many times.
" They were in the centre for so many years why didn't they take this decision at that time? It (Indian currency symbol ₹) is a federal setup, and they have to respect the national symbols," she asserted.
She also clarified "This does not mean we are against Tamil symbols or the Tamil language; we are in favour of it."
"I even have a Tamil name and MK Stalin does not... They are doing all this to deviate from the failures of the Tamil Nadu government...," Soundarajan said.
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