Last Updated:
Nirmala Sitharaman blasted Tamil Nadu government for replacing Rupee symbol in its Budget document and said that the step promotes “secessionist sentiments under the pretence of regional pride”.
Nirmala Sitharaman slams DMK over Rupee symbol row (PTI Image)
Launching a scathing attack on the Tamil Nadu government for replacing the ₹ symbol with a Tamil word ‘Ru’ in its budget document, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said that the move points to a “dangerous mindset that weakens national unity”.
The Minister said that the MK Stalin government’s step goes on to promote “secessionist sentiments under the pretence of regional pride”.
Her remarks came after the Stalin government removed the ₹ symbol from the Budget document and replaced it with Ru, sparking a massive row and drawing backlash from the BJP. The latest step followed days of language debate between the southern state and the Centre over the National Education Policy.
Sitharaman Takes On Tamil Nadu Govt
Taking the Stalin government head on, the Union Minister said that by removing the officially recognised Rupee symbol, which was designed by Udaya Kumar, a Tamilian, the DMK has “utterly disregarded the creative contribution of a Tamil youth”.
“If the DMK (@arivalayam) has a problem with ‘₹’, why didn’t it protest back in 2010 when it was officially adopted under the @INCIndia-led UPA government, at a time when the DMK was part of the ruling alliance at the Centre?” Sitharaman questioned.
The DMK government has reportedly removed the official Rupee symbol ‘₹’ from the Tamil Nadu Budget 2025-26 documents, which will be presented tomorrow.If the DMK (@arivalayam) has a problem with ‘₹’, why didn’t it protest back in 2010 when it was officially adopted under the…
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) March 13, 2025
“Ironically, ‘₹’ 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 added.
She highlighted the deep roots of the Tamil word ‘Rupaai’ in the Sanskrit word ‘Rupya’ and said that several countries use ‘Rupee’ as their currency name.
“The Tamil word ‘Rupaai’ (ரூபாய்) 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. In fact, several countries, including Indonesia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka, officially use ‘Rupee’ or its ‘equivalent/derivatives’ as their currency name,” the Minister wrote.
‘Bid To Weaken National Unity’: Sitharaman
The Union Minister reminded of the Constitutional oath for public representatives and said that the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to replace the ₹ symbol “goes against the very oath”.
“All elected representatives and authorities are sworn under the Constitution to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of our nation. Removing a national symbol like ‘₹’ from the State Budget documents goes against that very oath, weakening the commitment to national unity,” she said.
“This is more than mere symbolism—it signals a dangerous mindset that weakens Indian unity and promotes secessionist sentiments under the pretence of regional pride. A completely avoidable example of language and regional chauvinism,” the Minister added.
