Controversy Erupts Over Book Purchases at Tamil Nadu’s Periyar Arivulagam Library

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay’s government is facing criticism over alleged irregularities in the purchase of books for the newly inaugurated Periyar Arivulagam Library in Coimbatore. Built across seven acres with an investment of around ₹300 crore, the seven-storey facility was inaugurated by CM Vijay on October 16. The project was initiated during the previous DMK government and completed recently. Named after Dravidian leader Periyar, the library houses more than one lakh books and also offers digital library facilities. The controversy erupted after writer Perumal Murugan raised concerns over the quality, pricing and authenticity of several books purchased for the institution.

According to reports in the Tamil media, Murugan alleged that around 1,800 books were purchased at unusually high prices and questioned the credibility of certain authors and publishers. He also raised suspicions that some titles may have been generated using artificial intelligence and flagged concerns over their ISBN details. He reportedly pointed out that books priced at ₹250–₹300 were listed for as much as ₹1,500 and questioned inaccuracies in a publication titled Tamil Nadu Oru Paarvai. The allegations have triggered a political dispute, with the DMK and the ruling TVK trading accusations over who was responsible for the purchases. BJP leader K. Annamalai has demanded an independent investigation, seeking details of the committee that recommended the books and the process used to verify them. The Tamil Nadu government has ordered an inquiry into the controversy.