India

Tamil Nadu Leaders Demand Investigation into Alleged Fraudulent Book Procurement for Coimbatore Library

By The Hindu Bureau

After writer Perumal Murugan highlighted possible irregularities in the acquisition of books for the newly opened Periyar Arivulagam public library in Coimbatore, several political leaders called for a thorough inquiry. Makkal Needhi Maiam founder and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan condemned the situation, stating that fabricated books could damage the Tamil language if incorporated into speeches, writings, and research. He urged the Tamil Nadu government to remove the books from libraries, destroy them, and shut down the publishing houses involved. Manithaneya Makkal Katchi president and MLA M.H. Jawahirullah expressed shock, noting that 1,800 books from the obscure publisher Akalvilakku Publications were placed on the library’s fourth floor. He alleged that the books were produced with artificial intelligence, used pseudonymous authors, had untraceable ISBNs, and unreliable publisher addresses. Jawahirullah called for an independent committee to examine all books, publishers, authors, ISBNs, and pricing, and to investigate the suspicious publishing house. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president B. Manickam Tagore accused the DMK government of widespread corruption, suggesting that if such corruption existed in book procurement, it could extend to the library’s construction. He demanded an audit and removal of fabricated books. PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss urged the state government to investigate the allegations, citing that 1,800 books were bought from an unknown publisher and that a 300‑page Naladiyar guide was purchased for ₹1,445 compared to ₹350 for other copies. He requested an investigation by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti‑Corruption. K. Annamalai, founder of the We The Leaders movement, called for an audit of the library’s book list and procurement process. AMMK founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran urged the TVK‑led government to audit libraries statewide and remove any fake books. The allegations were reported on November 07, 2026, at 12:53 am IST.