Chennai, March 16, 2025 – Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has defended his government’s decision to replace the rupee symbol (₹) with “Ru” in the state’s 2025-26 budget, calling it a statement of the DMK’s commitment to protecting Tamil identity. Stalin accused the Central government of trying to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu through the National Education Policy (NEP) and framed the change as a response to that pressure.
Language Commitment Behind ‘Ru’ Change
“I had released the budget logo with ‘Ru’ to show how committed we are to the language policy. That’s all,” Stalin said in his regular “Ungalil Oruvan” (One Among You) video address on Sunday. He added that critics of the decision were those who “don’t respect Tamil.”
The Tamil Nadu government replaced the rupee symbol (₹) with “Ru,” derived from the Tamil word ‘Rubaai’ (meaning rupee) to reflect the state’s cultural identity. The move quickly stirred controversy, with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accusing the DMK government of promoting “secessionist sentiment.”
Stalin Hits Back at Sitharaman
Stalin took a swipe at Sitharaman for criticizing the symbol change while ignoring Tamil Nadu’s financial demands. “We had pleaded with the Union Government to release funds for the 100-day job scheme (MGNREGA), disaster management, and school education. The Union Finance Minister remained silent on those issues but was quick to comment on this matter,” he said.
Stalin also pointed out that Sitharaman herself has used “Ru” for rupees in English. “Writing rupees as ‘Rs’ is fine for them, but ‘Ru’ becomes an issue. Our budget was a hit across the nation, and so was Tamil,” he said.
Warning Against Hindi Imposition
Stalin renewed his warning to the BJP-led government at the Centre against enforcing the NEP and the three-language policy in Tamil Nadu. “If they try to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu, we will resist it. We will not allow the Centre to dilute Tamil identity,” he said.
The Chief Minister also accused the Centre of plotting to reduce Tamil Nadu’s Lok Sabha seats through delimitation. “We are aware of the Centre’s strategy. They are trying to weaken Tamil Nadu politically through delimitation,” Stalin warned.
