As Tamil Nadu gears up for its budget presentation on March 14, the state government has made a significant change to its official logo by replacing the Devanagari-scripted rupee symbol with the Tamil representation for rupees.
This updated emblem, which carries the message ‘Ellorkkum Ellaam’ (Everything for Everyone), was unveiled by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s office on Thursday.
Last year, the logo prominently featured the rupee symbol in Devanagari script.
According to a source from the Chief Minister’s Office, this year's design emphasizes the importance of the Tamil language. DMK spokesperson Savaranan Annadurai confirmed, "We just wanted to give importance to Tamil this year."
The alteration comes amidst a simmering conflict between the Tamil Nadu government and the Central government concerning the three-language policy.
Tamil Nadu adheres to a two-language policy of Tamil and English and opposes the addition of Hindi, viewing it as an imposition on Tamil citizens. The state also contests the National Education Policy's endorsement of the three-language formula.
A government insider disclosed that the decision to alter the logo was made by the budget committee, led by Finance Minister Thangam Tennarasu. A DMK leader commented on the motivation behind the logo change: "When our language and civilization are being ridiculed even in Parliament, should we not strive to preserve it?" This statement seemingly references Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's alleged derogatory remarks about Tamil Nadu MPs in the Lok Sabha on March 10. Arun Nehru, a DMK MP, stated, "The minister insulted not just DMK MPs but the Tamil people."
Chief Minister Stalin personally approved the logo decision, as per sources. Amid ongoing language disputes, the source emphasized, "There is an ongoing language tussle. The Centre should acknowledge this. We do not want Hindi imposition on any front."
Interestingly, the rupee symbol originally replaced was crafted by D. Udaya Kumar, whose father is a DMK MLA. Udaya Kumar is currently at the helm of the design department at IIT Guwahati. The symbol, endorsed by the UPA government while under the stewardship of then-Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, was officially adopted in 2010.