Tamil author Perumal Murgan alleges literary fraud at Periyar institute

Tamil author Perumal Murgan has flagged what he describes as a literary scam at the Periyar Arivulagam, a cultural and research organisation in Tamil Nadu. The writer's allegations centre on questionable attributions and possibly fictitious literary figures associated with the institution's collections and scholarly work.

Murgan's concerns have prompted official action from the state government. Rajmohan, the state's Minister for Tamil Development, Information and Publicity, said an immediate inquiry would be initiated to investigate the alleged irregularities at the institution.

The Periyar Arivulagam, named after the social reformer Periyar, is an influential research centre focused on Tamil language and literature. Any credibility issues at the institution could have significant implications for Tamil literary scholarship and historical records.

The nature of the specific fraudulent claims—including details about the fictitious chief minister and disputed attribution of classical Tamil texts like Naladiyar—remains under scrutiny as the government's investigation unfolds. The outcome of the inquiry is expected to clarify the extent of any irregularities and determine what corrective measures may be necessary.