‘Secessionist Sentiments’: FM Sitharaman Slams DMK After Tamil Nadu Drops Rupee Image From Price range – News18

Final Up to date:March 13, 2025, 22:50 IST

Nirmala Sitharaman blasted Tamil Nadu authorities for changing Rupee image in its Price range doc and mentioned that the step promotes “secessionist sentiments below the pretence of regional delight”.

Launching a scathing assault on the Tamil Nadu authorities for changing the ₹ image with a Tamil phrase ‘Ru’ in its finances doc, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday mentioned that the transfer factors to a “harmful mindset that weakens nationwide unity”.

The Minister mentioned that the MK Stalin authorities’s step goes on to advertise “secessionist sentiments below the pretence of regional delight”.

Her remarks got here after the Stalin authorities eliminated the ₹ image from the Price range doc and changed it with Ru, sparking an enormous row and drawing backlash from the BJP. The newest step adopted days of language debate between the southern state and the Centre over the Nationwide Schooling Coverage.

Sitharaman Takes On Tamil Nadu Govt

Taking the Stalin authorities head on, the Union Minister mentioned that by eradicating the formally recognised Rupee image, which was designed by Udaya Kumar, a Tamilian, the DMK has “completely disregarded the artistic contribution of a Tamil youth”.

“If the DMK (@arivalayam) has an issue with ‘₹’, why didn’t it protest again in 2010 when it was formally adopted below the @INCIndia-led UPA authorities, at a time when the DMK was a part of the ruling alliance on the Centre?” Sitharaman questioned.

“Paradoxically, ‘₹’ was designed by Th. D Udaya Kumar, the son of former DMK MLA N. Dharmalingam. By erasing it now, the DMK isn’t solely rejecting a nationwide image but in addition completely disregarding the artistic contribution of a Tamil youth,” she added.

She highlighted the deep roots of the Tamil phrase ‘Rupaai’ within the Sanskrit phrase ‘Rupya’ and mentioned that a number of international locations use ‘Rupee’ as their foreign money identify.

“The Tamil phrase ‘Rupaai’ (ரூபாய்) itself has deep roots within the Sanskrit phrase ‘Rupya,’ that means ‘wrought silver’ or ‘a labored silver coin.’ This time period has resonated throughout centuries in Tamil commerce and literature, and even at present, ‘Rupaai’ stays the foreign money identify in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. In actual fact, a number of international locations, together with Indonesia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka, formally use ‘Rupee’ or its ‘equal/derivatives’ as their foreign money identify,” the Minister wrote.

‘Bid To Weaken Nationwide Unity’: Sitharaman

The Union Minister reminded of the Constitutional oath for public representatives and mentioned that the Tamil Nadu authorities’s choice to interchange the ₹ image “goes towards the very oath”.

“All elected representatives and authorities are sworn below the Structure to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of our nation. Eradicating a nationwide image like ‘₹’ from the State Price range paperwork goes towards that very oath, weakening the dedication to nationwide unity,” she mentioned.

“That is greater than mere symbolism—it alerts a harmful mindset that weakens Indian unity and promotes secessionist sentiments below the pretence of regional delight. A totally avoidable instance of language and regional chauvinism,” the Minister added.