Tamil Nadu Toddy Movement seeks to lift ban on toddy

Buoyed by the lifting of the ban on Jallikkattu, Tamil Nadu Toddy Movement today renewed its appeal to revoke the 29-year-old ban on toddy in the State.

Welcoming the Centre's notification on Jallikattu, paving way for the sport to be held across the State during Pongal, TDM secretary S Nallasamy urged the Centre to take steps to lift the 29-year old ban on toddy tapping.

Toddy was tapped during this harvest festival and it was unfortunate that the ban was only in Tamil Nadu, which was against the Constitution, he claimed.

He said the movement had for the last 10 years been challenging those opposed to toddy to come for an open debate to prove that it was harmful, compared to Indian Made Foreign Liquor. However, nobody, including registered political parties were brave enough to do so, he said.

The pongal festival would be complete only if Tamil Nadu government took steps to lift the ban on toddy, or else it should come forward for a debate with it, he said

Nallasamy also sought to know from those fighting for total prohibition, whether they considered toddy as liquor, since they have a duty to enlighten people and also farmers on the evils of toddy.