New Delhi [India]: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has strongly criticized the DMK government for replacing the official Rupee symbol (‘Rs’) with the Tamil alphabet ‘Ru’ in the Tamil Nadu Budget 2025-26 documents.
Sitharaman questioned why DMK did not oppose the Rupee symbol’s adoption in 2010 when it was officially introduced under the Congress-led UPA government — a time when DMK was part of the ruling alliance.
“The DMK government has reportedly removed the official Rupee symbol ‘Rs’ from the Tamil Nadu Budget 2025-26 documents, which will be presented tomorrow. If the DMK has a problem with ‘Rs’, why didn’t it protest back in 2010 when it was officially adopted under the INC-led UPA government?” Sitharaman remarked.
The Finance Minister emphasized that the DMK’s decision disregarded not only a national symbol but also the creative contribution of Th. D Udaya Kumar, the designer of the Rupee symbol and son of former DMK MLA N. Dharmalingam.
She highlighted the historical roots of the word ‘Rupaai,’ explaining that it derives from the Sanskrit word ‘Rupya,’ meaning ‘wrought silver’ or ‘worked silver coin.’
“Ironically, ‘Rs’ was designed by Th. D Udaya Kumar… 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 stated.
Sitharaman also argued that removing the symbol weakens India’s unity, especially when the Rupee symbol is recognized internationally and is vital in promoting cross-border transactions using UPI.
“All elected representatives are sworn under the Constitution to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of our nation. Removing a national symbol like ‘Rs’ from the State Budget documents goes against that very oath,” she wrote.
Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai also condemned DMK’s action, calling it “laughable” and accusing the ruling party of attempting to divert public attention from other pressing issues.
He added that the Rupee symbol’s designer, Udaya Kumar, was a Tamilian whose contribution had been appreciated by former Tamil Nadu CM Karunanidhi.
“In 2010, a Tamilian, Udaya Kumar’s design… was appreciated by Kalaignar Karunanidhi. His son, CM MK Stalin, has now found fault with it… DMK has become a laughing stock across India,” Annamalai remarked.
The controversy emerged after Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin released a video showcasing the new ‘Ru’ logo for the 2025-26 Budget. The move has sparked criticism from opposition leaders ahead of the Budget’s presentation on March 14.