Mar 13, 2025
The Tamil Nadu government's decision to replace the national rupee (₹) symbol with Tamil letters 'RU' in its 2025 budget has sparked a major political controversy. This unprecedented move, first reported by India Today, has drawn sharp criticism from the BJP, which slammed it as a "stupid" decision that could harm India's federal structure. Ironically, the rupee symbol was designed by Udaya Kumar Dharmalingam, a Tamil Nadu-based academic and the son of a DMK MLA. The symbol was officially adopted in 2010 under the Congress-led UPA government, which included the DMK as an ally. The BJP has accused the Stalin-led government of hypocrisy and political gimmickry, alleging that the move is aimed at stoking anti-Hindi sentiments for electoral gains. With reactions pouring in from political leaders, including Tamilisai Soundararajan and Annamalai, the controversy has reignited the language debate in Tamil Nadu. Has the DMK gone too far in its bid to assert Tamil identity, or is this a justified move in regional language promotion? The debate continues.
Special 
