Tamil Nadu Minister Sparks Controversy Over Cultural Remarks
Durai Murugan, a minister from Tamil Nadu, has ignited a debate after asserting during a public address that North Indian culture allows women to have multiple husbands, citing Draupadi, the central female character from the ancient epic Mahabharata. Furthermore, he issued a warning to those who disrespect the Tamil language, threatening to “cut off” their tongues.
Context of the Remarks
This statement comes against the backdrop of ongoing tensions between the Tamil Nadu government and the Centre regarding the three-language policy outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP).
Remarks on Tradition
Murugan elaborated, “In our culture, a man typically marries only one woman. However, in North India, a woman can have several husbands—sometimes five or even ten. Similarly, multiple men may marry one woman. This is part of their tradition, where if one husband leaves, another takes his place,” his comments reveal, as captured in a viral video on social media.
Government Response
In light of the escalating Hindi conflict between the two governments, the DMK-led Tamil Nadu administration has opted to replace the Devanagari ‘Rs’ symbol with a Tamil letter in its budget logo for 2025-26, which will be presented in the state Assembly soon.
New Budget Logo
The revised budget logo features the Tamil letter ‘ரூ [Ru]’ from ‘rubai,’ supplanting the previous Indian currency symbol. Accompanying this change is the phrase “everything for all,” reflecting the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) commitment to inclusive governance.
Political Reactions
The substitution of the ₹ symbol has also provoked backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai criticized the Stalin government, questioning the rationale behind the decision. In a social media post, he exclaimed, “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. Thiru Udhay Kumar, who created the symbol, is the son of a former DMK MLA. How foolish can you be, Thiru @mkstalin?”
