TN CM slams DMK says author Perumal Murugan exposed graft in buying books during its regime

    Chennai, Nov 6 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday alleged corruption during the previous DMK regime in procurement of books for Periyar Knowledge World in Coimbatore and said Professor Perumal Murugan has "exposed" it and that he should be commended.

    Hitting out at the DMK as the "fountainhead of corruption," he alleged that it has come to light it is "always a crowd of graft."

    The CM ridiculed the DMK alleging a group that claims to be guardians of the Tamil language, soil and its dignity, and which makes other tall claims in this regard in order to deceive the people would always be the "crowd of corruption."

    An example has come to light and it is graft in the procurement of books for Periyar Arivulagam (Periyar Knowledge World), he alleged.

    During the previous DMK regime, a committee to recommend books for new libraries was constituted, and a Government Order dated November 5, 2025 had been issued.

    "Perumal Murugan, who served on a committee responsible for recommending books including modern literature has himself brought to light the corruption involved in the procurement of books for Periyar Arivulagam. He must be praised for uncovering the very source of this corruption."

    The DMK brass has been claiming that it built Periyar Knowledge World after much scrutiny. The world now mocks it for meticulous graft in procurement, he alleged.

    "The DMK has engaged in corruption in a slightly different way, turning Coimbatore Periyar Knowledge World itself into a world of corruption," the ruling TVK founder alleged in a statement.

    He alleged that the DMK, which has made a habit of continuously engaging in corruption will never be forgiven by Tamil Nadu's future generations as well. "The families of Tamil Nadu will henceforth not spare the DMK."

    The DMK will not be able to make a "bounce back in the people's court" as it is continuously making history in indulging in corruption and loot by using the name of reformist leader Periyar EV Ramasamy and the Tamil language, he alleged.

    The previous DMK regime saw countless corruptions, including in municipal administration department, state-run liquor corporation (TASMAC) and in tenders, he claimed.

    "That the DMK is a party which built a very huge world of corruption for themselves by way of corruption in every department is getting exposed one after the other," he alleged.

    The CM, without mentioning former DMK Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi's name, referred to his arrest in the cash-for-approvals for private schools scam.

    In continuation of such scams, now one more has emerged, he said, and condemned, "corruption in the library too intended for the use of our children and students."

    This will not shock those who know the history of the DMK. "However, our hearts tremble as it is all people's money."

    Even at the time of entering politics, the TVK declared at its conference that it is the DMK that has been looting using Periyar's name.

    "To this day, without making any compromises, we alone have been telling that the DMK is the very fountainhead of corruption. The DMK itself has proven that everything we have ever said about them is true. As a current example of this, the book procurement scam that took place at the Periyar Arivulagam in Coimbatore stands as proof," Vijay said.

    The opposition parties in Tamil Nadu demanded a high-level probe into the alleged multi-crore book procurement scam for the newly inaugurated Periyar Arivulagam Library in Coimbatore, initially exposed by writer Perumal Murugan.

    It involves accusations that thousands of high-priced, low-quality books from non-existent publishers, some allegedly generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI), were pushed into the library during the previous DMK regime.

    School Education Minister A Rajmohan announced that a thorough probe has been launched into the procurement files.

    "A scam in a library bearing the name of Periyar is unacceptable. To borrow the words of my leader and Chief Minister, we will not spare anyone" the Minister told reporters here.

    He pointed out that nearly 1,800 fraudulent or substandard books from a suspected fake entity named 'Agalvilakku Pathippagam' were pushed through during the previous DMK government's tenure.

    Parties including AMMK, AIADMK, PMK, BJP, NTK, and even DMK's ally the Kamal Haasan-led Makkal Needhi Maiam strongly condemned the “fraudulent procurement” of books from non-existent publishers.

    "Whoever committed this act has betrayed the Tamil language. I urge the Government of Tamil Nadu to immediately withdraw these fake books from all libraries, dump them on the streets, and burn them. The fraudulent publishing houses involved must be sealed immediately," Haasan said.

    PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss claimed a 300-page book titled Naladiyar: Vazhvin Vazhkatti was purchased for an exorbitant Rs 1,445, whereas established publishers sell the standard text for just Rs 350.

    The IT Wing of the ruling TVK accused the DMK leadership of allegedly siphoning off Rs 50 crore under the pretext of building an "intellectual temple."

    DMK propaganda joint secretary, Coimbatore, Rajivgandhi Radhakrishnan asserted that the publishers knew that books were procurred for libraries in a transparent manner during the previous DMK regime and that Perumal Murugan was also on the book selection committee.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)