Condemnable & Laughable: BJP as DMK Changes ₹ Symbol in TN Budget
The age-old debate between Hindi and Tamil has taken a new turn in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. In a recent move that has sparked controversy, the Tamil Nadu government has decided to replace the official rupee symbol ‘₹’ with the Tamil letter ‘Ru’ in the state budget. This decision has not gone down well with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with its state unit chief, K Annamalai, terming it as “condemnable and laughable”.
The move by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government is seen as a bold statement against the linguistic and cultural dominance of Hindi in the country. The DMK has long been a champion of Tamil pride and has often clashed with the BJP over issues related to language and culture. This decision is likely to be seen as a victory for the DMK’s efforts to promote the use of Tamil language and script.
However, the BJP has taken strong exception to this move. K Annamalai, the state unit chief of the party, has condemned the decision, saying that it is “not only condemnable but also laughable” that the Tamil Nadu government has decided to change the rupee symbol. He has also questioned the wisdom behind this decision, saying that it shows either “foolishness” or “immaturity”.
The BJP has been a vocal advocate of Hindi as the national language and has often clashed with regional parties over issues related to language and culture. The party has been accused of trying to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states, which has led to resistance from regional parties and civil society groups.
The controversy surrounding the rupee symbol is not new. The ₹ symbol was introduced in 2010 by the then Union Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, as a symbol for the Indian rupee. However, the decision was widely criticized by many who felt that it was an attempt to impose Hindi on the country. The controversy was further fueled by the fact that the symbol was designed by a Hindi-speaking designer, who was accused of not taking into account the cultural and linguistic sensitivities of non-Hindi speaking states.
The Tamil Nadu government’s decision to replace the rupee symbol with the Tamil letter ‘Ru’ is a bold statement against the linguistic and cultural dominance of Hindi in the country. The move is likely to be seen as a victory for the DMK’s efforts to promote the use of Tamil language and script. However, the BJP’s reaction to this move has also sparked controversy, with many accusing the party of being insensitive to the cultural and linguistic sensitivities of non-Hindi speaking states.
In a statement, 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.”
The controversy surrounding the rupee symbol is just the latest example of the ongoing debate between Hindi and Tamil. The debate has been ongoing for decades, with each side accusing the other of trying to impose its language and culture on the other. The controversy has also sparked a wider debate about the place of Hindi and Tamil in Indian society, with many calling for greater recognition of the importance of regional languages and cultures.
In conclusion, the controversy surrounding the rupee symbol in Tamil Nadu is a complex issue that is linked to the ongoing debate between Hindi and Tamil. While the DMK’s decision to replace the rupee symbol with the Tamil letter ‘Ru’ is a bold statement against the linguistic and cultural dominance of Hindi, the BJP’s reaction to this move has also sparked controversy. The issue highlights the importance of recognizing the cultural and linguistic sensitivities of non-Hindi speaking states and the need for greater dialogue and understanding between different linguistic and cultural groups.
