Despite backlash, TN Govt defends Tamil 'Ru' symbol in budget, cites historical precedent

The Tamil Nadu government's use of the Tamil letter "Ru" instead of the official rupee symbol in its state budget has sparked a wave of criticism. The DMK IT Wing, however, has hit back, defending the move and pointing to historical precedent in Tamil linguistic usage.

In response to the uproar, the party shared an image on X of a 1935 Tamil book featuring the Tamil letter for "rupees."

The post argued that the letter had long been part of Tamil's historical context, challenging critics' understanding of the language's evolution.

"History is a nightmare to ignorance! The Sanghi ecosystem is losing it over Tamil Nadu using the Tamil letter instead of the symbol, as if centuries of Tamil usage are suddenly wrong," the post read.

The image was part of the party’s attempt to showcase that the Tamil letter for "rupees" had been in use long before the official rupee symbol was adopted in 2010. The DMK's IT wing even referenced modern usage, sharing a post by a Tamil Nadu citizen who claimed to have purchased bus tickets in 2022 featuring the Tamil "Ru" symbol.

BJP leaders, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai, quickly criticized the DMK government's decision.

Sitharaman called the change an attempt to "promote secessionist sentiments under the guise of regional pride," while Annamalai accused the DMK of undermining national unity by removing the official rupee symbol from the budget.

“The DMK government’s State Budget for 2025-26 replaces the rupee symbol designed by a Tamilian, which was adopted by the whole of Bharat and incorporated into our currency,” Annamalai wrote on X. "How stupid can you become, Thiru @mkstalin?” he added, referencing Chief Minister MK Stalin.

Despite the backlash, the DMK continues to stand by its decision, arguing that the Tamil letter for "rupees" reflects a long tradition of linguistic pride and historical continuity in Tamil Nadu.