Hindi row takes new turn as TN replaces ₹

Tamil Nadu on Thursday replaced the rupee symbol (₹) with a Tamil alphabet (translated as Ru) for the logo of the state budget 2025-26, a symbolic move that triggered a political storm and ratcheted up the already simmering tensions between the state and the Centre over language.

- Divya Chandrababu

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu on Thursday replaced the rupee symbol (₹) with a Tamil alphabet (translated as Ru) for the logo of the state budget 2025-26, a symbolic move that triggered a political storm and ratcheted up the already simmering tensions between the state and the Centre over language.

State finance minister Thangam Thennarasu is scheduled to table the budget on Friday. The state government had used the rupee symbol in last year's budget.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government released a 24-second video to announce the budget, which had a logo where the rupee symbol was replaced by the Tamil alphabet with a tagline "Ellorkkum Ellaam" (everything for everyone). "This budget is for all sections of the society," chief minister MK Stalin said on X, sharing the video -- the amplification suggesting that the state was taking its fight with the Centre to the next level.

Ru is the first letter of the Tamil word Rubaai, which denotes the Indian currency in the southern language.