Stalin Govt Now Changes Rupee Symbol After Creating North-South Divide, Takes Language Debate to New Low

Chennai: MK Stalin-led the DMK government in Tamil Nadu has once again stoked controversy, this time by replacing the universally recognised Indian Rupee symbol (₹) with the Tamil letter for ‘ru’ from ‘rubai’ (rupees in Tamil) in its 2025-26 state budget documents.  

This blatant disregard for national symbols is yet another attempt to push its divisive linguistic agenda, furthering the North-South divide that the party has long thrived on. By sidelining a symbol that represents India's economic identity, the Stalin government signalled its defiance against national unity, prioritising regional politics over collective progress.

First Time A State Rejects National Currency Symbol 

Stalin's government move marks the first time a state has rejected the national currency symbol, intensifying its opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP). Widely perceived as a symbolic move, the Tamil Nadu government’s decision comes amid the ruling DMK’s ongoing clash with the BJP-led central government over the alleged ‘imposition of Hindi’ through the NEP. By replacing the official Rupee symbol with the Tamil letter for ‘ru’ from ‘rubai’ (rupees in Tamil) in the 2025-26 state budget, the Stalin administration has once again asserted its resistance to central policies, reaffirming its long-standing pro-Tamil and anti-Hindi stance.

A Political Stunt

Meanwhile, BJP's Tamilisai Soundararajan came down heavily on the move, stating, “This is nothing but political drama. I have no objection to using the Tamil word, but why aren’t they sending their own children to government schools?" the BJP leader told a news channel.

Speaking on the issue of tri-language policy in NEP, Soundararajan said,"He (MK Stalin) is mispropagating, he is misleading the people, if fact they are not promoting Tamil, he is telling about saffronisation. A few years back, the proposition of Tamil medium and English medium was 54 pc and 45 pc, now it is 63 pc English and only 36 pc Tamil medium. The lesson about his father is the books. From the beginning, this is one government which got dismissed because of anti-national activities. DMK is a threat to national integration, always talking about north-south. People should be aware of this situation. MK Stalin is politicising the NEP..." 

Centre vs Tamil Nadu Govt Over NEP

Escalating his attack on the Centre over the National Education Policy (NEP), Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin yesterday dismissed it as a "saffron policy" designed to promote Hindi rather than national development.

Speaking at a public rally, Stalin also targeted the Centre over the delimitation exercise, alleging that it was an attempt to "sustain power" by boosting the number of MPs in northern states. He accused the BJP of trying to expand its influence by increasing parliamentary seats in states where it holds power, vowing that the DMK would oppose the move.

Stalin’s "saffron policy" remark came a day after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hit back at the DMK, accusing the state government of using the language debate for political gains. Pradhan said the DMK’s "latest cacophony" on Hindi imposition and its opposition to the NEP's three-language formula only exposed the party’s "hypocrisy" as it sought to "revive" its political fortunes.