New Delhi, March 14, 2025 – India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has strongly criticized the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu, calling its stance on the rupee symbol a "dangerous mindset" that weakens India's unity.

Her comments come in response to the Tamil Nadu government's decision to replace the official rupee (₹) symbol with a Tamil letter “Ru” in its 2025-26 state budget documents. Sitharaman argued that this move promotes secessionist sentiment, adding that such actions are not mere symbolism but undermine the integrity of the nation.

Sharp Rebuke from the Finance Minister

In a series of tweets, including one in Tamil, Sitharaman questioned why the DMK had not objected to the rupee symbol when it was officially adopted in 2010 under the Congress-led UPA government. At that time, the DMK was part of the ruling alliance. She also pointed out that the symbol was designed by Udaya Kumar, a Tamilian and the son of a former DMK MLA.

"By erasing the rupee symbol, is the DMK not disregarding the creative contribution of a Tamil youth?" she asked. Sitharaman further emphasized that elected representatives take an oath to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India, and removing a national symbol from official state documents violates this commitment.

This is the first direct response from the Union government on the issue. Previously, only state BJP leaders, including Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai, had criticized the DMK’s move.

Udaya Kumar Responds

Udaya Kumar, the designer of the rupee symbol, has also reacted to the controversy. Speaking to NDTV, he distanced himself from the political debate, stating, "The state government made this decision. I don’t have much to say on it." He also clarified that when he designed the symbol 14 years ago, he never anticipated such a controversy.

DMK Defends Its Stand

The DMK, meanwhile, has defended its decision, arguing that the move is part of its effort to promote Tamil language and culture. A DMK spokesperson countered Sitharaman’s criticism by pointing out that multiple states prioritize their regional languages without facing accusations of secessionism.

"In Maharashtra, the government has mandated Marathi as the language of administration. Does that mean they are against Hindi or English? No. Similarly, our decision to use a Tamil symbol does not mean we oppose national unity," the spokesperson stated.

The ruling party also highlighted that the BJP-led central government has itself renamed cities and roads in the past to reflect Indian cultural heritage. "If renaming Rajpath to Kartavya Path is not a dangerous mindset, then why is using Tamil script in our budget being treated differently?" they argued.

A Political and Linguistic Flashpoint

The rupee symbol controversy is the latest chapter in the longstanding tensions between the Tamil Nadu government and the Centre over linguistic and cultural issues. Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed the imposition of Hindi and has resisted aspects of the National Education Policy (NEP), which it sees as an attempt to dilute the prominence of regional languages.

By replacing the rupee symbol with a Tamil character, the DMK government has escalated its resistance, framing it as a protest against the Centre’s alleged disregard for regional identity.

BJP Calls Move 'Ridiculous'

The BJP has slammed the DMK’s decision, with Annamalai calling it a "ridiculous" act driven by political opportunism rather than genuine linguistic pride. "The DMK is creating unnecessary controversies to divert attention from governance failures," he claimed.

As the Tamil Nadu government prepares to table its budget on Friday, the rupee symbol debate is likely to further deepen the rift between the state and the central government. The issue also raises broader questions about language, identity, and federalism in India, a country where linguistic pride has historically been a potent political force.

For now, the battle over a symbol has turned into a larger ideological showdown between regional identity and national unity.