Overview

• The Tamil Nadu government replaced the Indian rupee symbol (₹) with the Tamil letter 'Ru' in the logo for its 2025-26 state budget, citing regional pride and the promotion of the Tamil language.
• Chief Minister MK Stalin emphasized the move as a symbolic assertion of Tamil identity, while BJP leaders criticized it as divisive and unconstitutional.
• The controversy is part of a broader conflict between the DMK-led state government and the BJP-led central government over language policies, including opposition to the National Education Policy's three-language formula.
• BJP leaders, including Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, accused the DMK of fostering secessionist sentiments, while DMK leaders defended the decision as within constitutional bounds.
• This dispute comes against the backdrop of upcoming elections in Tamil Nadu and ongoing debates over issues like delimitation and the role of regional languages in national policies.