Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday lashed out at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin for replacing the rupee symbol (Re) in the state Budget document with a Tamil letter (Ru), asserting that it was an unavoidable example of language and regional chauvinism. Sitharaman said the replacing of the rupee symbol signalled a dangerous mindset “that weakens Indian unity and promotes secessionist sentiments under the pretence of regional pride”.
She said removing the rupee symbol from the Tamil Nadu Budget “weakened the commitment to national unity and that it was “more than mere symbolism”. She said Tamil word ‘Rupaai’ itself has deep roots in the Sanskrit word ‘Rupya’, meaning ‘wrought silver’ or ‘a worked silver coin’. This term has resonated across centuries in Tamil trade and literature, and even today, ‘Rupaai’ remains the currency name in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
Sitharaman questioned why the DMK did not protest against the rupee symbol when it was officially adopted under the then Congress-led UPA government in 2010. The DMK and Congress are allies and are a part of the ruling alliance in Tamil Nadu. She added Ironically, the rupee symbol was designed by Th D Udaya Kumar, the son of former DMK MLA N Dharmalingam. By erasing it now, the DMK is not only rejecting a national symbol but also utterly disregarding the creative contribution of a Tamil youth.
she asked If the DMK has a problem with the rupee symbol, why didn’t it protest back in 2010 when it was officially adopted under the @INCIndia-led UPA government. She cited countries like Indonesia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Seychelles and Sri Lanka officially using Rupee or its ‘equivalent/derivatives’ as their currency name.
