Chennai: Tamil Nadu School Education Minister A Rajmohan has accused the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government of orchestrating what he described as India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) scam through the procurement of allegedly AI-generated books for the Periyar Arivulagam library in Coimbatore. The minister claimed that thousands of books containing fabricated information, questionable authorship and objectionable content were purchased using public funds.

Addressing a press conference in Chennai on Saturday, November 7, Rajmohan alleged that the irregularities involved large-scale corruption in the purchase of books from a single publisher, Agal Vilakku Pathippagam. He claimed that the controversy was not limited to the Coimbatore library and that similar procurement plans involving Rs 50 crore for printed books and another Rs 5 crore for online books were intended for public libraries across Tamil Nadu.

The allegations have triggered a political confrontation between the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government led by Chief Minister Joseph Vijay and the opposition DMK. While the state government has announced a vigilance complaint and further investigations, the DMK has rejected the accusations and demanded that the government release the complete procurement records.

Rajmohan calls Periyar library controversy India’s first AI scam

Rajmohan alleged that thousands of books purchased under the previous DMK administration contained AI-generated material that had been presented as original literary and academic works. According to the minister, several publications carried fabricated author names and contained misleading information that could adversely affect students, competitive examination aspirants and other library users.

He specifically referred to purported author identities such as ‘Thamarai Murali’, ‘Kamalambal Karunanidhi’ and ‘Trisha Vijay’. The minister questioned the credibility of the publications and alleged that the procurement process had been manipulated to benefit the publisher.

Displaying a copy of the purchase order at the press conference, Rajmohan said the order was issued to Agal Vilakku Pathippagam on February 14, 2026. The publisher was reportedly instructed to deliver the books within seven days. He further alleged that payments were released from the state treasury in March, shortly before the Assembly elections.

“Disgusting books that are not even worthy of being thrown into the dustbin, with absurd content,” the minister said while criticising the quality of the publications.

According to Rajmohan, more than 40 boxes of books were delivered to the Periyar Arivulagam library. Since the facility was scheduled to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, the books were reportedly arranged on library shelves and sealed.

The minister cited the treatment of the classical Tamil literary work Naaladiyar as an example of the alleged inaccuracies. He said one publication described Naaladiyar as the work of an individual human philosopher instead of recognising it as a collection of verses traditionally attributed to Jain monks.

Calling the alleged irregularities a serious misuse of public money, Rajmohan demanded an unconditional apology from the DMK to students and civil service aspirants across Tamil Nadu.

Minister alleges similar purchases planned for other libraries

The TVK minister claimed that the alleged procurement irregularities extended beyond the Periyar Arivulagam library in Coimbatore. According to him, similar purchases involving questionable and allegedly AI-generated books had been planned for public libraries in Tiruchirappalli, Salem, Cuddalore and Tirunelveli.

Rajmohan put the proposed expenditure at Rs 50 crore for printed books for each library, apart from an additional Rs 5 crore allocated for online books. His allegations have raised questions about the approval process, the selection of publishers and the scrutiny of publications before public funds were spent.

Explaining the approval process, the minister said a committee meeting was conducted in November 2025, followed by another meeting in January 2026. He claimed that 112 out of the 137 committee members participated in the proceedings and approved the purchases.

However, Rajmohan alleged that the approvals were obtained under pressure from the previous DMK government. He questioned whether the committee members had been given adequate opportunities to examine the books before recommending them for procurement.

The minister announced that the Tamil Nadu government had submitted a formal complaint to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC). The government would also constitute a special committee to investigate similar procurement activities involving other prominent public libraries.

The proposed examination will cover institutions such as the Kamarajar Library, Anna Centenary Library and Kalaignar Centenary Library. The objective, according to the minister, is to identify possible irregularities and establish whether public money was spent on publications that failed to meet basic standards of quality and authenticity.

Perumal Murugan first raises concerns over book purchases

The controversy gained attention after acclaimed Tamil writer Perumal Murugan raised questions about the procurement process in an article published on November 6. Murugan was among the 137 members of the book recommendation committee appointed by the previous DMK government.

The writer expressed concern over the purchase of nearly 1,800 books from Agal Vilakku Pathippagam, a publisher he said was unfamiliar to him despite his four decades of experience in the literary field.

He also questioned the unusually high prices attached to several publications. Some books reportedly cost Rs 1,400 or more, prompting concerns about whether the prices were justified by their content, quality and publishing standards.

One of the examples highlighted by Murugan was Naladiyar Vaazhvin Vazhikaatu, which was reportedly priced at Rs 1,445. The publication allegedly contained an inaccurate description of Naladiyar, presenting the classical Tamil work as the creation of an individual poet and philosopher rather than a collection of verses attributed to Jain monks.

Murugan also identified factual errors in other books. A publication titled Tamil Nadu Oru Paarvai reportedly referred to a person named Muthuvelu Subbaiah Iyer as the state’s first Chief Minister, although no such individual held that position.

The writer also questioned the procurement of publications from Phoenix Publishers. Some of these books allegedly appeared to contain AI-generated material and carried ISBN numbers that could not be verified.

Pricing discrepancies were another major concern. According to Murugan, certain books originally priced at approximately Rs 250 to Rs 300 were reportedly being sold to the library for more than Rs 1,500.

These observations prompted wider questions about the committee’s recommendations, the verification of publishers and the procedures followed before approving purchases using public funds.

Periyar Arivulagam library inaugurated by Vijay

The controversy has drawn additional attention because of the scale and significance of the Periyar Arivulagam project.

The seven-storey library, constructed across seven acres in Coimbatore at an estimated cost of nearly Rs 300 crore, was conceived during the previous DMK government’s tenure. The facility was developed as a major public knowledge centre intended to provide access to books and educational resources.

Chief Minister Joseph Vijay inaugurated the library on October 16, 2026. The reported irregularities in book procurement have now raised questions about the quality of the collection assembled for the institution.

The allegations have also highlighted the growing challenge of verifying AI-generated content in publishing. While artificial intelligence can assist in research, translation and content creation, publications intended for educational institutions and public libraries require proper editorial scrutiny, factual verification and transparent authorship.

DMK rejects allegations and questions procurement timeline

The DMK has strongly denied the allegations, describing them as a politically motivated attempt by the Vijay-led government to create a controversy and divert public attention from its administrative shortcomings.

Party leader I Paranthamen dismissed the minister’s statements as a “fake narrative”. He questioned why the government had not immediately removed the disputed books from library shelves if their content was genuinely objectionable.

Paranthamen argued that filing a DVAC complaint without taking immediate departmental action raised questions about the government’s intentions. He challenged the authorities to publish the complete procurement records, including purchase orders, online banking transactions, delivery details and recommendations made by the expert committees.

The DMK leader also defended the procurement framework introduced during the previous administration. He said the government had issued a Government Order in 2024 establishing an online procurement policy intended to regulate book purchases through dedicated expert panels.

He further questioned the timeline of the alleged purchases. According to Paranthamen, some disputed books carried library stamps dated June 2026, after the DMK government had left office.

He asked how publications stamped in June could automatically be attributed to procurement decisions made by the previous administration without examining the actual purchase, delivery and payment records.

Paranthamen also questioned the allegations concerning fabricated author identities, asking why the DMK government would approve publications attributed to names such as ‘Trisha Vijay’ or ‘Sangeetha Vijay’.

He pointed to spelling mistakes in purported official letters circulating online and argued that even committee members, including Murugan, were reportedly unaware of some of the disputed titles.

The DMK maintained that a transparent investigation was necessary to establish the facts and identify those responsible for any irregularities.

Opposition leaders demand independent investigation

The controversy has also attracted criticism from political parties beyond the TVK and DMK.

BJP leader K Annamalai demanded an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities. He called for the publication of purchase orders, invoices, delivery records and committee reports to establish how the books were selected and approved.

Congress leader Manickam Tagore called for a comprehensive audit of books procured by public libraries across Tamil Nadu during the DMK administration.

Other political leaders, including Kamal Haasan, TTV Dhinakaran, Anbumani Ramadoss and Seeman, have also sought action and investigations into the reported irregularities.

The growing political reaction has increased pressure on the state government to establish the facts through documentary evidence rather than political accusations.

Investigation likely to determine responsibility

The Periyar Arivulagam book procurement controversy has developed into a major political issue in Tamil Nadu, with allegations of AI-generated publications, inflated prices, questionable author identities and possible misuse of public funds.

While Rajmohan has accused the previous DMK government of overseeing large-scale corruption, the opposition has questioned the procurement timeline and demanded access to official records.

The DVAC complaint and the proposed special committee investigation are expected to play an important role in determining whether procurement rules were violated, whether the books contained fabricated material and who was responsible for approving the purchases.

Ultimately, the controversy raises important questions about transparency in public procurement and the need for strict verification of AI-generated content. An independent and evidence-based investigation will be essential to establish accountability and protect the credibility of Tamil Nadu’s public libraries.