Chennai, Mar 13 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday sprang a surprise, replacing the Indian Rupee symbol with Tamil letter in the logo released on the eve of the presentation of the

State Budget for the year 2025-26.

The state Budget logo contained Tamil letter "Ru" replacing the Indian Rupee symbol.

Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu will present the Budget on the opening day of the session tomorrow morning.

The last year's State budget logo carried the Indian Rupee symbol with the slogan "crossing obstacles, marching towards growth".

However, this year logo, unveiled today carried the Tamil letter "Ru" instead of the Indian Rupee symbol and had the slogan "Ellarkum Ellaam" (meaning Everything for All).

The sudden change in the rupee symbol in the State Budget logo comes in the backdrop of ongoing confrontation between the BJP-led Government at the Centre and the ruling DMK in the State over the NEP and three-language row.

While the Centre has been insisting that it would not release the funds to the tune of Rs 2,152 crore due to the state under the SSA scheme unless it accepted NEP that envisaged implementation of three-language policy, the State government has been steadfastly opposing that alleging that it was an attempt to impose Hindi and Sanskrit and that certain provisions in the NEP would drive out students from schools and crush the State's educational growth.

Chief Minister and DMK President M K Stalin who had been hitting out at the 'fascist' BJP-led Government at the Centre on the issue of NEP and the proposed delimitation, accused the

Centre of blackmailing TN on NEP.

While repeatedly reiterating that TN would stick to its existing two language formula, which received complete support from all parties,including the main Opposition AIADMK (barring the BJP), he said NEP was a threat to Tamil Nadu’s future and said it is not an education policy but a Hindutva policy.

It was not designed to develop India but to impose BJP’s ideological agenda.

"That is why we oppose it. The NEP does not recognize social justice or reservations. It denies financial aid to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes. It introduces national-level entrance exams even for arts and science colleges.

It aims to push students out of the education system by implementing exit options from Class 10 onwards and enforces caste-based vocational education from Class 6", he pointed out.

"We strongly reject NEP. Even if the Centre, which has refused to release Rs 2,152 crore due funds under SSA for not accepting the NEP and three-language policy, offers Rs 10,000 crore, we will not accept it", he asserted.

UNI GV