In Book Scam Order, Madras High Court Judge's Praise For PM's 'Mann Ki Baat'

In an unusual passage in a Madras High Court order dealing with alleged irregularities in the procurement of books for public libraries, Justice G R Swaminathan has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's radio programme Mann Ki Baat, crediting it with bringing the achievements of people from remote corners of the country into the national spotlight.

The observation was made by Justice G R Swaminathan in his portion of an order passed by a Division Bench, also comprising Justice M D Sumathi, at the court's Madurai Bench on November 11.

Introducing the observation as a "lighter remark", Justice Swaminathan referred to Mann Ki Baat and wrote: "Thanks to the Hon'ble Prime Minister, we have come to know the great deeds done by several persons in the remote corners of the nation..." He added that these achievements would otherwise have gone unnoticed.

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To underscore the programme's role in bringing obscure stories to public attention, the judge invoked a passage from Thomas Gray's celebrated 18th-century poem, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, which reflects on how talent and greatness can remain unrecognised in remote places.

While the remark stood apart from the core issue before the court-alleged irregularities in procuring books for public libraries-the judge explicitly framed the reference as a "lighter remark".

However, the broadcast's Tamil edition directly intersected with the case. In the same order, Justice Swaminathan recorded that an expert committee member had informed the court that Manathin Kural, the Tamil translation of Mann Ki Baat, had been recommended for procurement but was rejected, failing to reach public library shelves.

Seeking to verify this claim, the bench questioned the Director of Public Libraries. According to the order, "there was only silence" in response.

The controversy erupted after acclaimed Tamil writer Perumal Murugan, who served on a committee recommending titles for the Periyar Science Centre and Library, flagged serious discrepancies in the collection at Coimbatore's Periyar Arivulagam.

In an article, Murugan drew attention to overpriced books containing glaring factual errors, questionable historical claims, and titles attributed to unfamiliar or apparently fictitious authors. He also questioned the credentials of the publishers and alleged that some content appeared to have been generated using artificial intelligence, noting that several volumes were priced far above comparable publications.

The allegations swiftly triggered a political confrontation between the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). School Education Minister A Rajmohan blamed the previous DMK regime, alleging the questionable books were procured during its tenure.

The DMK countered by questioning the timeline of the purchases, accusing the TVK government of attempting to shift responsibility. The opposition party also approached the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) seeking an investigation.

The School Education Department subsequently referred the matter to the DVAC for a detailed enquiry against unknown public servants. During the proceedings, the prosecutor informed the court that a formal First Information Report (FIR) would be registered and placed before the bench ahead of the next hearing.

The court also noted that three bank accounts linked to the matter had been frozen, holding a reported balance of around Rs 22 lakh.