Tamil Nadu School Education Minister A Rajmohan has accused the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government of overseeing an alleged procurement scam involving AI-generated, factually inaccurate and overpriced books purchased for public libraries.
The controversy emerged after acclaimed Tamil writer Perumal Murugan flagged questionable content, authorship and publishing credentials among books stocked at Periyar Arivulagam, a library and science centre in Coimbatore inaugurated by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on October 16, 2026.
On November 7, Rajmohan said the School Education Department had approached the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) and announced a special committee to examine library collections across the state. He alleged that thousands of questionable books had been procured during the previous DMK administration and promised to recover public money if irregularities were established.
The DMK has rejected the political allegations and demanded the release of purchase orders, payment records and committee recommendations. Meanwhile, reports indicate that most of the disputed publications were removed from the shelves at Periyar Arivulagam. The allegations are yet to be established through an investigation.
Questionable Books
The controversy gained attention after Perumal Murugan, a prominent Tamil writer who was also associated with the library’s book recommendation committee, published an account highlighting serious inaccuracies in several titles.
He said he had found nearly 1,800 books bearing the imprint of Agal Vilakku Pathippagam in the Tamil section on the fourth floor of Periyar Arivulagam. He also questioned publications attributed to unfamiliar authors and raised concerns about the publishers’ credentials and the authenticity of their International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs).
One example was a book titled Naladiyar Vaazhvin Vazhikatti, which reportedly described Naladiyar as an individual Tamil poet and philosopher. However, Naladiyar is a classical collection of 400 verses traditionally attributed to anonymous Jain monks.
Other disputed publications allegedly contained inaccurate historical accounts, including references to a non-existent individual named Muthuvelu Subbaiah Iyer as Tamil Nadu’s first Chief Minister in 1947, and a photograph of a Nandi sculpture incorrectly presented as an archaeological discovery from Keezhadi.
Murugan also questioned the pricing of these publications, stating that several books costing more than ₹1,000 contained little meaningful information, while comparable 300-page Tamil books generally cost around ₹350. He called for an independent investigation and the removal of questionable titles until their authenticity could be established.
Procurement Under Scrutiny
Following the allegations, Rajmohan widened the controversy by describing it as “India’s first AI scam”. At a press conference in Chennai, he displayed documents that he said included committee recommendations, purchase orders and payment proceedings.
According to the minister, the procurement process began with committee meetings in November and December 2025, followed by another meeting in January 2026. He said 112 of the 137 members of the recommendation committee attended the January meeting before the recommendations were forwarded to a higher-level committee.
Rajmohan cited a February 14, 2026, purchase order and March treasury proceedings to argue that the procurement took place under the previous DMK government. He also alleged that similar publications had reached other institutions, including Chennai’s Connemara Library and the Kalaignar Centenary Library in Madurai, besides libraries in Tiruchy, Salem, Cuddalore and Tirunelveli. However, questions remain about the sequence of approvals and the individuals responsible for the final purchases.
Former Frontline editor R Vijaya Sankar, a member of the recommendation committee, explained that his assignment involved reviewing books and publisher credentials before forwarding recommendations through several subsequent scrutiny and price-negotiation stages.
He said he had no information about what happened to the recommendations after his part of the process and that the government was best placed to clarify the subsequent approvals. The DMK, meanwhile, has demanded disclosure of the complete procurement trail, including the officials who authorised the purchases and the dates on which payments were released.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The controversy raises an important question about the responsibility of public institutions in an age when artificial intelligence can produce large volumes of convincing-looking content, including material containing fabricated facts and misleading references.
Public libraries are not ordinary commercial spaces; they are trusted institutions that students, researchers and communities rely upon for learning, independent thinking and access to credible information. If the allegations are substantiated, the issue would extend beyond financial irregularities to the possible damage caused to public knowledge and educational credibility.
At the same time, accusations of corruption must not become substitutes for evidence or be reduced to political exchanges between rival parties. The government must publish the relevant procurement documents, establish who recommended, approved and purchased the disputed titles, and ensure that the DVAC examination and proposed committee inquiry are transparent and independent.
The DMK, too, must cooperate with scrutiny and provide any records that can help establish the facts. Importantly, the use of AI itself should not become a reason to discredit technology or legitimate publishers; the real concern is the deliberate or negligent circulation of unreliable information without proper verification.
Protecting public libraries means protecting the public’s right to trustworthy knowledge. Can public institutions maintain people’s trust without stronger checks on the authenticity, accuracy and accountability of the information they provide?
Also Read: Smog Blankets Delhi As Post-Diwali AQI Reportedly Exceeds Last Year’s Mark By 69%
