World
India
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday defended his government’s decision to replace the rupee symbol (₹) with ‘Ru’ in the state budget for 2025-26, asserting it as a reaffirmation of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)’s commitment to Tamil identity. The move has ignited a heated political debate, with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman condemning it as a “secessionist sentiment.”
Addressing the controversy through his weekly “Ungalil Oruvan” (One Among You) video series, Stalin criticized the BJP-led Central government, accusing it of attempting to impose Hindi through policies like the National Education Policy (NEP).
Centre vs Tamil Nadu: Clash Over Language
The Tamil Nadu government justified using ‘Ru’—derived from Rubaai, the Tamil equivalent of rupee—as a cultural representation. However, Finance Minister Sitharaman alleged that this move promotes separatism. In response, Stalin pointed out that even the Union minister had used ‘Ru’ in some contexts but was now politicizing the issue.
“In English, rupees is written as ‘Rs.’ That doesn’t seem to bother them, but our use of ‘Ru’ has suddenly become an issue,” Stalin remarked, dismissing the criticism as politically motivated.
He further accused Sitharaman of prioritizing political attacks over addressing Tamil Nadu’s financial concerns. According to him, the Centre has repeatedly ignored Tamil Nadu’s demands for funds under MGNREGA, disaster relief, and education programs.
Stalin Warns of ‘Language War’ Over Hindi Imposition
Reiterating Tamil Nadu’s long-standing opposition to Hindi imposition, Stalin warned of a potential “language war” if the Centre continued to push the three-language policy under NEP. He also alleged that the BJP was planning to reduce Tamil Nadu’s Lok Sabha seats through delimitation, describing it as an attempt to weaken the state’s political influence.
The controversy surrounding the rupee symbol has now evolved into a broader political confrontation between the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government and the BJP at the Centre. With the battle lines drawn, the debate over language and federalism is expected to intensify in the coming months.
