Stalin backs ‘ரூ’ symbol in TN budget as language policy stand
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Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M K Stalin defended the decision to replace the Indian rupee symbol with the Tamil letter ‘ரூ’ in the 2025-26 budget, emphasizing the government's commitment to its language policy. Stalin stated that the change in the budget logo was a deliberate move to showcase the state's determination to uphold its language identity. He criticized those who opposed the symbol, suggesting that their reaction was more about disliking Tamil than any substantive issue. In an indirect swipe at the BJP, Stalin said, "Those who don't like Tamil made it a big news."
The controversy over the use of the Tamil ‘Ru,’ derived from ‘Rubaai,’ the vernacular term for the national currency, had sparked backlash, particularly from the BJP. Responding to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's comments on the matter, Stalin pointed out that while she spoke on the rupee symbol, she had not responded to the Tamil Nadu government's requests for funds for crucial programs like MGNREGA, disaster management, and school education.
Stalin also mocked Sitharaman, saying that while she had used the term ‘Ru’ in several posts, it was now an issue only when it appeared in the Tamil Nadu budget. "In English, the rupee is simply written as 'Rs.' That doesn't matter to them, but this seems to be an issue," he remarked. He went on to claim that the budget had been widely praised across the nation, much like the Tamil language itself.
On the opposition's criticism of the budget, Stalin reiterated that while his government was open to constructive feedback, some critics were motivated by vendetta. He also highlighted the government's efforts to manage the state’s debt situation and credited well-known economists, including Nobel laureate Esther Duflo, former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, and economist Arvind Subramaniam, for advising on the budget. Stalin emphasized that the government's goal was to make Tamil Nadu a $1 trillion economy by 2030, despite challenges such as threats to the state's representation in the Lok Sabha post-delimitation and issues with central fund allocation.
However, AIADMK leader and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami sharply criticized Stalin’s remarks, calling the budget a "flop." Palaniswami questioned whether the Tamil letter ‘Ru’ alone could make the budget successful, dismissing Stalin's claim of widespread acclaim. He argued that the real test of a budget lay in its implementation, not just in its announcements. Palaniswami also criticized Stalin for relying on reports that lauded the budget while ignoring the concerns of various stakeholders, including government employees, teachers, farmers, and entrepreneurs.
Palaniswami further accused the DMK government of creating a record in borrowings, adding that public opinion suggested this budget would be the last for the DMK in Tamil Nadu's political history. "This budget is simply a waste," he concluded.
With PTI inputs