DMK ‘has become a laughing stock’
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman strongly condemned the DMK Government’s substitution of the currency symbol of ‘Rs’ with the Tamil alphabet ‘Ru’.
The FM questioned DMK over the act and asked them why they did not protest in 2010 when the Indian National Congress officially adopted the symbol.
“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, when the DMK was part of the ruling alliance at the Centre?” the post read.
Further, she wrote that by erasing the symbol, DMK was not just rejecting a national symbol but also disregarding the creative contribution of a Tamil youth. She also stated that the Tamil ‘Rupaai’ word had deep roots in the Sanskrit word ‘Rupya,’ which meant ‘wrought silver’ or ‘worked silver coin.’
“Ironically, ‘Rs’ was designed by Th. D. Udaya Kumar, the son of former DMK MLA N. Dharmalingam. By erasing it now, the DMK is not only rejecting a national symbol but also utterly disregarding the creative contribution of a Tamil youth. Moreover, the Tamil word ‘Rupaai’ (ruupaay) has deep roots in the Sanskrit word ‘Rupya,’ meaning ‘wrought silver’ or ‘a worked silver coin.’ This term has resonated across centuries in Tamil trade and literature, and even today, ‘Rupaai’ remains the currency name in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka,” the post read.
The FM said that the Rupee was internationally well-recognised and used in several countries other than India. Ms. Sitharaman also questioned why the national currency symbol was undermined when the government should push it for cross-border payments using UPI.
She also said that under the Constitution, all elected representatives and authorities were sworn to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of the nation. Removing a national symbol from the state Budget documents went against the oath and weakened the commitment to national unity.
“All elected representatives and authorities 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 oath, weakening the commitment to national unity. This is more than mere symbolism – it signals a dangerous mindset that weakens Indian unity and promotes secessionist sentiments under the pretence of regional pride—a completely avoidable example of language and regional chauvinism,” the post read.
The FM also wrote the same post in Tamil.
Tamil Nadu’s BJP President, Annamalai, also condemned the act and stated that DMK had become a laughing stock nationwide to divert attention from other public issues.
The President stated that the symbol, which was designed by a Tamilian,n Udaya Kumar, was appreciated by CM MK Stalin’s father, Kalaignar Karunanidhi.