CUDDALORE:
The Tamil Nadu Toddy Movement has said it will abandon its campaign if the State government proves that Indian Made Foreign Liquor and other heady foreign beverages being marketed through duty paid shops are better than toddy, in terms of health benefits, said S. Nallasamy, State organiser.
Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Nallasamy said that the Constitution, the Supreme Court judgment, the President's speech in Parliament and the Union budget had expressed identical views that toddy was not an intoxicating liquor but part of food. Therefore, the Movement was determined to sell toddy at the venue of the World Classical Tamil Conference to be held at Coimbatore in June. Mr. Nallasamy said that except Tamil Nadu, no other State had banned toddy tapping and as such it was tantamount to posing hurdles to attaining food security. There were over five lakh palm trees in Tamil Nadu and 10 lakh families of toddy tappers and 50 lakh farmers' families were depending on them. In fact, the State government should have taken the initiative to turn out value added products from toddy and market them the world over globe like Sri Lanka was doing with its Sri Lanka Made Foreign Liquor.
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