25-04-2025
Farmers hold hunger protest demanding removal of ban on toddy
All Farmers Associations of Tamil Nadu staged a hunger protest in Coimbatore on Friday demanding that the ban on toddy be lifted and sought categorisation of the beverage as a traditional health drink.
The DMK Government was not prepared to accept toddy sale in Tamil Nadu despite the High Court's advice for lifting its ban, with the intent of profiteering from sale of IMFL, thereby increasing the rate of alcohol-addiction, P.R. Pandian, president of the Coordination Committee of All Farmers Associations of Tamil Nadu, said.
There was no such ban on toddy in the neighbouring States.
The DMK party had, while in opposition, conducted agitations demanding ban on IMFL, citing the destruction caused to family system due to alcoholic addiction of the earning member, he said.
The government had not paid heed to the demand by farmers for distribution of coconut oil, instead of palm oil, through the public distribution system, he added.
