Tamil Nadu Replaces Rupee Symbol with Tamil Letter in Budget Logo, Sparks Political Row
Amid an ongoing language dispute with the Centre, the Tamil Nadu government has replaced the Devanagari rupee symbol (₹) with a Tamil letter in its official logo for the 2025-26 state budget, which is set to be tabled in the Assembly on Friday.
Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu is scheduled to present the budget, and ahead of the announcement, the state government released the official budget logo on Thursday. The new design features 'ru', the first letter of the Tamil word 'Rubaai', which represents the Indian currency in Tamil. The logo also carries the caption “Everything for All”, reflecting the ruling DMK’s vision of inclusive governance.
Political Backlash Over Symbol Change
The move has triggered sharp criticism from the BJP, while the DMK defended its decision, arguing that there are no rules prohibiting such a representation.
BJP Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai slammed the Stalin-led government, calling the decision "stupid" and questioning the rationale behind replacing a national currency symbol designed by a Tamilian.
“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,” Annamalai said in a social media post.
He further pointed out that the rupee symbol (₹) was created by Thiru Udhay Kumar, the son of a former DMK MLA, implying that the ruling party was contradicting its own legacy.
Annamalai also shared an image of the 2024-25 Tamil Nadu budget logo, which had the Devanagari rupee symbol, to highlight the contrast between the two designs.
The symbol change has now become the latest flashpoint in the DMK vs BJP political tussle, with language and identity politics once again taking center stage in Tamil Nadu’s governance discourse.
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