CHENNAI: A white paper submitted by the BJP to Governor RN Ravi on Wednesday said three-fourths of liquor shops in Tamil Nadu can be shut by lifting the ban on toddy and through other measures.
By putting the spotlight on toddy, the saffron party is aiming to achieve two things in the run up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls: First, win the support of coconut and palm farmers. Two, turn up the heat on DMK government on the issue of prohibition.
Tamil Nadu has the highest number of palm trees and the second highest number of coconut trees in the country and both are suitable for extracting toddy. The trees are predominantly present in the western and southern parts of Tamil Nadu where the BJP had earlier registered political victories.
Revocation of toddy ban will benefit farmers by giving them an additional revenue source. Also, the recent hooch deaths have brought back the focus on prohibition. Earlier this month, prohibition minister S Muthusamy, in response to a question from a reporter, said a special committee has been formed to study the impact of opening toddy shops in the state.
In this context, BJP appears to have launched the campaign in support of toddy to spite the DMK government. The 369-page white paper submitted by BJP state president K Annamalai said that one of the main reasons cited in the 1980s for banning toddy was to reduce alcoholism. “However, studies have shown that toddy is not (particularly) more addictive than other alcoholic drinks such as beer or wine. In fact, some studies have even shown that toddy can be beneficial for health as it contains antioxidants and other nutrients,” the white paper said.
The alcohol content of toddy ranges from 4% to 6% while the alcohol content in hard liquor sold by Tasmac is around 40%. Hence, the white paper said, lifting the ban on toddy gives “an alternative and safer option for those seeking alcoholic beverages.”
On the issue of loss of revenue due to closure of liquor shops, the white paper said, “If toddy ban is lifted, it would allow for regulation and taxation of toddy. This would generate revenue for the government and help protect public health. It would also allow for creation of jobs in toddy industry, which would benefit marginalised communities. It would also reduce number of alcohol-related deaths and injuries.”