Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Janasena Party chief Pawan Kalyan on Friday criticised Tamil Nadu politicians for opposing Hindi while benefiting from Bollywood’s financial prospects. Speaking at the 12th Foundation Day programme of Janasena in Pithapuram, he emphasised India’s linguistic diversity and questioned Tamil Nadu politicians’ stance on Hindi.
“India needs multiple languages, including Tamil, not just two. We must embrace linguistic diversity—not only to maintain the integrity of our nation but also to foster love and unity among its people,” Pawan Kalyan said, as per news agency ANI.
The actor-politician further stated, “I do not understand why some criticise Sanskrit. Why do Tamil Nadu politicians oppose Hindi while allowing their movies to be dubbed in Hindi for financial gain? They want money from Bollywood but refuse to accept Hindi—what kind of logic is that?”
He also reflected on his political journey and said, “I do not fear darkness or potholes on the way to my house, even when there is no light. With bravery and strength, I have moved forward since 2014 and founded the Janasena Party. I am deeply grateful to the Telangana supporters who gave me a second life. Today, I remember the late singer Gaddar, who used to ask me, ‘How are you?’ His words still resonate with me. He compared Janasena’s Veera Mahilas to Rani Rudramadevi and laser beams, expressing his unwavering support for them. I am also thankful to the people of Tamil Nadu. Though my time there was brief, I sincerely appreciate their support.”
“During my recent visit to Maharashtra, I experienced immense affection from the people. I am grateful to the people of Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Karnataka for their support,” he added, as quoted by ANI.
The remarks come as DMK, the ruling party of Tamil Nadu, is leading yet another agitation against what it terms as ‘Hindi imposition’ by the Union government through the three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP).
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin, serving as the Deputy Chief Minister, has also been a film actor and producer. Actor-politician Kamal Haasan, an ally of DMK, also supported the ruling party’s stance over the NEP row.
Tamil Nadu’s Rupee Symbol Change Amid Language Row
Intensifying the ongoing language debate, the Tamil Nadu government replaced the Devanagari rupee symbol with the Tamil letter ‘Ru’ in its budget logo for 2025-26. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has accused the Centre of attempting to impose Hindi through the NEP, labelling it a “saffron policy” aimed at promoting Hindi rather than national development. In response, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticised the DMK, calling the decision an “avoidable example of regional chauvinism” that promotes secessionist sentiments.
The DMK, for its part, asserted that Tamil Nadu would not accept “Hindi colonialism” replacing British colonialism. The Union government, however, accused the state administration of being dishonest and harming students’ future for political gains.
The budget logo, carrying the Tamil letter ‘Ru’—derived from the Tamil word ‘Rubaai’ (rupee)—also bears the caption “Everything for All”.
The change triggered a heated exchange between BJP and DMK leaders. BJP Tamil Nadu chief K. Annamalai strongly condemned the move, questioning Stalin’s decision. “The DMK Government’s State Budget for 2025-26 replaces the Rupee Symbol designed by a Tamilian, which was adopted by the whole of Bharat and incorporated into our currency. Thiru Udhay Kumar, who designed the symbol, is the son of a former DMK MLA. How stupid can you become, Thiru @mkstalin?” Annamalai posted on social media.
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also criticised the move, pointing out that the rupee symbol was designed by Tamil Nadu’s own Th. D. Udaya Kumar. “By erasing it now, the DMK is not only rejecting a national symbol but also utterly disregarding the creative contribution of a Tamil youth,” she said in a post on X. She further noted that the Tamil word ‘Rupaai’ itself has Sanskrit origins, meaning ‘wrought silver’ or ‘a worked silver coin.’
Sitharaman questioned the rationale behind the change, stating, “The Rupee symbol ‘₹’ is internationally well-recognised and serves as a visible identity of India in global financial transactions. At a time when India is pushing for cross-border payments using UPI, should we really be undermining our own national currency symbol?”
She also criticised the move from a constitutional perspective, arguing that removing a national symbol from budget documents goes against the oath taken by elected representatives to uphold India’s sovereignty and integrity.
The DMK has long opposed the three-language formula under NEP, insisting on its decades-old two-language policy of Tamil and English. While NEP 2020 recommends students learn three languages, with at least two being native to India, it does not specifically mandate Hindi. The policy applies to both government and private schools, offering states the flexibility to choose languages without imposition.
According to a government portal, the rupee symbol ‘₹’ was adopted by the Government of India on 15 July 2010. It combines the Devanagari letter ‘Ra’ and the Roman capital ‘R’ with two parallel horizontal stripes at the top, representing the national flag and the equality sign.
