Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tamilisai Soundararajan has strongly criticised the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government for replacing the national Rupee symbol (₹) with the Tamil alphabet ‘Ru’ in the state’s budget logo. She accused the ruling party of “political theatrics” to divert attention from its governance failures.
Speaking to ANI, Soundararajan said, “The Indian currency is part of a federal structure, and national symbols must be respected. Why is the DMK dramatizing this issue now, after ruling Tamil Nadu for so many years? When they were in power at the Centre, why didn’t they make this decision back then?”
The BJP leader further questioned Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s commitment to Tamil identity, stating, “Even I have a Tamil name, but MK Stalin does not. Ask him if he will change his name into a Tamil name.” She accused the DMK of using the language issue to distract from its governance shortcomings.
The controversy erupted after the Tamil Nadu government unveiled the 2025-26 state budget logo, replacing the ₹ symbol with the Tamil character ‘Ru.’ The move, seen as part of the DMK’s push for Tamil pride, has sparked a political debate.
The Tamil Nadu budget for 2025-26 is set to be presented in the assembly on March 14. The previous year’s budget carried the national Rupee symbol, making this the first instance of such a change.