MK Stalin labels the National Education Policy (NEP) as a “saffronise policy” aimed at promoting Hindi rather than developing India
Our Bureau
Chennai (UP)
Tamil Nadu’s MK Stalin government has replaced the Rupee symbol ‘₹’ for the Indian currency with the Tamil alphabet ‘Ru’ in state Budget logo amid the raging language row between the State and the Central government.
The previous budget logo for the Budget of 2024 -25 carried the Indian currency symbol ₹. Tamil Nadu CM on Thursday released a video which showcased the logo for the Budget of 2025-26 and in this logo the national currency symbol had been substituted with the Tamil Alphabet ‘Ru’. The State government has locked horns with the Central government over the three-language formula proposed in the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.
BJP’s Tamil Nadu Chief, K Annamalai lashed out over the State Government’s “stupid” move, stating that a Tamilian and son of a former DMK MLA designed the Rupee symbol.
“The DMK Government’s State Budget for 2025-26 replaces the Rupee Symbol designed by a Tamilian, which was adopted by the whole of Bharat and incorporated into our Currency. Thiru Udhay Kumar, who designed the symbol, is the son of a former DMK MLA. How stupid can you become, Thiru @mkstalin?” K Annamalai said.
Earlier on Wednesday, MK Stalin launched a scathing attack on the central government, labelling the National Education Policy (NEP) as a “saffronise policy” aimed at promoting Hindi rather than developing India, alleging that the policy threatens to destroy Tamil Nadu’s education system.
“National Education Policy is not education policy, it is saffronise policy. The policy was not created to develop India but to develop Hindi. We are opposing the Policy as that would destroy the Tamil Nadu education system completely,” CM Stalin said in Tiruvallur.
Stalin accused the central government of withholding funds to coerce the state into accepting the NEP.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission (SPC) Executive Vice Chairman J Jeyaranjan said the only reason for the State government to replace the Rupee symbol for the Indian currency with the Tamil alphabet ‘Ru’ in the State’s Budget logo was that they did not want to use the Devnagari script. Jeyaranjan said, “We don’t want to use Devnagari. That’s all…”
Notably, the previous budget logo for the Budget of 2024 -25 carried the Indian currency symbol Rs. The budget 2025-26 is set to be presented in the Tamil Nadu assembly on March 14.
Tamil Nadu chief minister earlier released a video which showcased the logo for the Budget of 2025-26 and in this logo the national currency symbol had been substituted with the Tamil Alphabet ‘Ru’.
The State government has locked horns with the Central government over the three-language formula proposed in the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.
BJP leader Tamilisai Soundarajan stated that the Indian currency Rupee was a federal setup and the DMK should respect the national symbols.
“They have ruled Tamil Nadu for so many years and have presented the budget so many times; why do they want to dramatize it like this? They were at the Centre for so many years why didn’t they take this decision at that time?” Soundarajan said
“The Indian currency is a federal setup and they have to respect the national symbols. We are not against the Tamil Nadu symbols or language; we are in favor of it…” she stated.
The BJP leader also questioned the DMK government on why they had not taken a decision on the issue in the earlier years.
The BJP leader further stated that the MK Stalin government was trying to divert the attention from the failures of their government and questioned why they had to dramatize the situation. Speaking to reporters, Soundarajan said, “Even I have a Tamil name but MK Stalin does not. Ask him if he would change his name into a Tamil name. They are doing all this to deviate attention from the failures of their government… They have ruled Tamil Nadu for so many years and have presented the budget so many times… why do they want to dramatize it like this?”
