Condemnable & Laughable: BJP’s K Annamalai Reacts to TN Government’s Decision to Replace ₹ Symbol with Tamil Letter
The recent decision by the Tamil Nadu government to replace the official rupee symbol ‘₹’ with the Tamil letter ‘Ru’ has sparked a controversy, with the BJP’s State President, K Annamalai, terming it as “condemnable and laughable”. The move, aimed at promoting the Tamil language and culture, has been met with widespread criticism, with many questioning the practicality and necessity of such a change.
According to reports, the Tamil Nadu government has changed the official rupee symbol in the state budget to the Tamil letter for “Ru”, a move that has been seen as a response to the ongoing Hindi-Tamil language row. The decision has been hailed by many as a bold step to promote the Tamil language and culture, but others have raised concerns about the potential confusion and practical difficulties that may arise from such a change.
Reacting to the decision, BJP’s K Annamalai said, “It’s not only condemnable but also laughable that the Tamil Nadu government has decided to change the rupee symbol which is commonly accepted across Bharat. They are either foolish or this shows their immaturity.” Annamalai’s comments come as no surprise, given the BJP’s long-standing stance on the importance of promoting Hindi as a national language.
However, it is worth noting that the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to replace the rupee symbol is not a new one. In 2010, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M Karunanidhi, had announced plans to introduce a new currency symbol for the state, which would be a combination of the Tamil letters ‘Ru’ and ‘Pa’. Although the plan was dropped due to lack of support from the central government, the idea has been revived in recent years, with the current government deciding to implement it in the state budget.
Despite the controversy surrounding the decision, the Tamil Nadu government has defended its move, stating that it is an attempt to promote the Tamil language and culture. The government has also pointed out that the new symbol will be used in addition to the existing rupee symbol, and that it will not affect the country’s economic transactions.
However, many have raised concerns about the potential practical difficulties that may arise from such a change. For instance, how will the new symbol be used in international transactions? Will it be accepted by other countries and financial institutions? And what about the confusion that may arise when using the new symbol in everyday transactions?
The debate over the use of the rupee symbol is not new. In 2010, the then Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, had announced a new currency symbol for the rupee, which was a combination of the Latin letters ‘R’ and ‘₹’. The move was met with opposition from some states, including Tamil Nadu, which had demanded a separate symbol for the state.
In recent years, the debate has gained momentum, with some states demanding greater autonomy in using their own languages and symbols. The Tamil Nadu government’s decision to replace the rupee symbol is seen as a bold step in this direction, and may set a precedent for other states to follow suit.
In conclusion, the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to replace the official rupee symbol with the Tamil letter for “Ru” has sparked a controversy, with the BJP’s K Annamalai terming it as “condemnable and laughable”. While some have hailed the move as a bold step to promote the Tamil language and culture, others have raised concerns about the potential practical difficulties that may arise from such a change. As the debate continues to rage on, it remains to be seen whether the new symbol will be adopted across the country or remain a unique feature of Tamil Nadu.
