Tamil Nadu govt replaces rupee symbol ’ ₹’ with Tamil sign as language war escalates

In a notable step amid the ongoing language dispute with the Centre, the MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government has replaced the official rupee ‘ ₹’ symbol in the 2025 state budget. The new budget logo now features the Tamil letter for ‘ரூ [Ru]’ from ‘rubai,’ replacing the Indian currency symbol used in the previous budget.

The logo also had the caption “everything for all,” indicating at what the ruling DMK says is its inclusive model of governance.

There has, however, been no official statement from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on the party’s decision to drop ‘Rs’ symbol with the Tamil letter ‘ru’.

The move is being seen as a statement from the Tamil Nadu government which has clashed with the Centre over the three-language formula in the National Education Policy (NEP), accusing it of imposing Hindi on the state.

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What does NEP say about the three-language formula?

Tamil Nadu’s move to drop the ₹ symbol has come amid a massive language war between the state and the central government over the implementation of the three-language formula.

Also Read | DMK vs Centre as three-language row shakes Parliament: Is NEP pushing Hindi?

As per the NEP document, the three-language formula will “continue to be implemented while keeping in mind the Constitutional provisions, aspirations of the people, regions, and the Union, and the need to promote multilingualism as well as promote national unity.”

“There will be a greater flexibility in the three-language formula, and no language will be imposed on any State,” the education policy document said.

The policy document says that the languages in the three language policy will be based on the choices of states, regions and of the student provided two of the three languages are native to India.