DMK Replaces Rupee Symbol With Tamil Character in State Budget
The change comes amid a standoff over the imposition of Hindi in schools under the new National Education Policy
Tamil Nadu has replaced the traditional rupee symbol with a Tamil letter in the promotional materials for its upcoming 2025/26 state budget, scheduled to be unveiled on Friday morning. This decision is part of an ongoing dispute between the DMK-led state government and the central administration over language policy, particularly the inclusion of Hindi as a mandatory option under the National Education Policy’s three-language formula.
Although the state has yet to issue an official statement about the swap, DMK leader Saravanan Annadurai explained to a news outlet that the move is entirely legal and reflects the government’s commitment to prioritizing Tamil. He emphasized that the change is not intended as a confrontation, but as a celebration of the state’s cultural identity.
In response, the BJP has been sharply critical. The party’s state spokesperson, Narayanan Thirupathy, told Sorce that the decision signals an attempt by the DMK to separate Tamil Nadu from the rest of India, accusing the party of using the issue to deflect from its shortcomings.
This controversy emerges at a time when the state is gearing up for early elections next year a contest expected to be fiercely fought between the DMK and AIADMK, with the BJP maintaining a background presence.
At the heart of the debate is the National Education Policy’s requirement for students in Class VIII and above to study a third language, with Hindi among the 22 options. The Tamil Nadu government opposes this mandate, defending its two-language policy of Tamil and English. Chief Minister MK Stalin insists that the current system has served the state well, contributing to its status as the country’s second-largest economy. Meanwhile, the BJP argues that the policy would benefit students by equipping them for broader opportunities across India and maintains that no student is forced to learn Hindi. In an interview with Media, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan accused the Tamil Nadu government of fabricating a “false narrative” to serve political interests at the expense of academic progress.