The DMK government has created more controversy by using the Tamil language symbol instead of the Devanagari ‘₹’ symbol in the budget. The Tamil Nadu government has decided to use the first letter of the Tamil language, ‘Rubai,’ instead of the Devanagari symbol ‘₹’ in its upcoming budget logo. Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu will present the budget.The M. K. Stalin government has opposed the new education policy (NEP) since the BJP government implemented it. There is a conflict between the BJP government at the center and the main government in the state of Tamil Nadu over the trilingual policy in the new education policy. The Tamil Nadu government has opposed the indispensability of the Hindi language in this policy. MK Stalin alleged that the central government is imposing the Hindi language on the southern states through the new education policy. Its aim is only to spread and develop the Hindi language. The development of the country is not considered in this.However, D Uday Kumar, the designer of the ‘₹’ symbol, has distanced himself from the controversy over the symbol between the two governments. Uday Kumar is a professor at IIT Guwahati. When asked by the media about his reaction, he took a neutral stance, saying that it was entirely the government’s decision. PTI understands that Kumar expressed the view that the government has complete freedom to create its own script.Interestingly, Uday Kumar is the son of former DMK MLA N. Dharmalingam from Rishivandiam constituency. The DMK party was formed by the son of a former MLA from their own party, Nirmala Sitharaman, through her X handle, has accused a Tamil youth of ignoring his creativity by rejecting the ‘₹’ symbol created by him.However, Uday Kumar reacted to this and stated, “It is just a coincidence that I am the son of a former DMK MLA. He was in politics before I was born. Now he is living a peaceful life in his village. If he were not my father, I would be someone else.”The symbol ‘₹’ designed by Udayakumar was officially adopted by the Government of India on 15 July 2010. At that time, Udayakumar participated in a competition organized by the Government of India. Udayakumar won the competition, and the design of the symbol he designed was selected.He holds a degree in architecture from Anna University. He has a master’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai.In a strong reaction to the new education policy adopted by the central government, Tamil Nadu has decided to deliberately use the word ‘ru’ in Tamil script in place of ‘₹’ in Devanagari script in the upcoming budget. The Prime Minister has categorically stated that the ‘British colonialism’ of the British era has been replaced by ‘Hindi colonialism.’ Tamil Nadu will not tolerate this at all.Union Minister Kiren Rijiju reacted to X, saying that DMK is playing a destructive game. And Congress is doing more damage by supporting this game. There should be a limit to playing politics. Don’t divide our nation by dividing the people and states of India. We all belong to the same nation.Meanwhile, BJP president in Tamil Nadu K Annamalai has strongly condemned this action of the DMK Tamil Nadu government, saying that this decision has made the DMK a laughing stock across the country. He alleged that the DMK was doing this to divert the attention of the people from other issues in the state. He further recalled that the ‘₹’ symbol designed by Udayakumar was praised by MK Stalin’s father Kalaignar Karunanidhi himself.On the contrary, the Central Government has accused the Tamil Nadu government of being dishonest and risking the future of the students in the state for politics.Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and many BJP leaders have expressed strong reactions against this decision taken by the DMK government in Tamil Nadu.DMK leaders countered BJP’s allegations by saying that it is not wrong for a state to use its mother tongue. The central government has not been prevented from doing so by any rule by the state.
Dr. Anupriya Gaikwad
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