Jean Drèze urges the TN government. to take strict action amid report of ‘fake book’ at Kalaignar Centenary Library

Economist Jean Drèze. File | Photo credit: Allen Egenuse J.

Economist Jean Drèze on Sunday (November 8, 2026) said a book in English attributed to him as the author and allegedly found in some Tamil Nadu public libraries is “fake”.

The confirmation comes after a media report claimed that the title listed in Madurai’s Kalaignar Centenary Library may not have been authored by Mr Drèze. The book listing him as the author was labeled “Democracy and the Law of Nations in the Contemporary World”.

“I am disappointed and confused to read on social media that a book titled Democracy and Peoples Right in the Contemporary World attributed to me has appeared in some Tamil Nadu public libraries. If this book exists under my name, it must be fake as I have never written such a book,” he wrote in a clarification provided to The Hindu. via e.

Mr. Drèze urged the Tamil Nadu government to take “stern and swift action against the publishers of this fake book and other culprits”. “It’s important to stop the rot before it spreads, even more so if this book was created by an AI,” he added.

The Economist also raised questions about public library purchase controls, saying: “The problem is not just that a fake book was printed, but how the public library acquired it. Surely it would take little effort to determine the authenticity of this book.”

According to a media report, the book in question was said to have been purchased from Phoenix Publishers and bears a valid international standard book number. He also further claimed that the address of Phoenix Publishers is the same as that of Akal Vilakku Publishers.

The contract award date mentioned in the report is June 25, 2023, before the library’s grand opening. Madurai’s Kalaignar Centenary Library was inaugurated on 15 July 2023 by the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu MK Stalin.

Published – 8 Nov 2026 20:08 IST