5 lakh hotels, food joints to participate in bandh

: Nearly five lakh hotels and food joints in Tamil Nadu will participate in the April 25 dawn to dusk state-wide bandh to express solidarity with the farmers agitating in New Delhi to get their demands redressed.
Since various trade and commercial bodies have decided to join the bandh called by a few political parties,hotels in the State also decided to down their shutters on that day, Tamil Nadu Hotel Owners Association president, Venkatasubbu told reporters here today.
Despite various types of agitation,the Central government was not taking any steps to end to the woes of the farmers,who are demanding waiver of loans from National Banks and also drought relief to the tune of Rs 40,000 crore, he said.

The farmers, who have been agitating in the national capital for the past 35 days, have received support from various other outfits and political parties.
They are demanding loan waiver, drought-relief package of Rs 40,000 crore and setting up of Cauvery Management Board from the Centre.
The farmers have been resorting to various methods to attract the Centre's attention, some of which were protesting with half-shaved heads and wearing 'rudhraksha' (seeds traditionally used for prayer beads) indicating a life of saints who has given up all earthly needs.