Tamil Nadu Replaces Rupee Symbol in State Budget Amid Language Debate

In a recent development, the Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister MK Stalin, has replaced the official Indian rupee symbol '₹' with the Tamil script 'ரூ' in the logo for the state's 2025-26 budget.

This move comes amid ongoing debates over language policies, particularly the state's opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and its three-language formula.

The budget logo features 'ரூ' (ru), the first letter of the Tamil word 'Rubaai,' representing the Indian currency in Tamil.

This decision has sparked criticism from political opponents. BJP's Tamil Nadu chief, K Annamalai, highlighted that the official rupee symbol was designed by Udhay Kumar, a Tamilian and son of a former DMK MLA, questioning the rationale behind the change.

The alteration underscores the state's ongoing resistance to perceived imposition of Hindi and emphasizes the importance of regional language and identity in official matters.