A retired army officer threatened the Tamil Nadu government saying that they should not push ex-servicemen into using bombs and guns. The retired army officer, identified as Col. B Pandian, said this during a protest organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) protest in Chennai on Tuesday, February 21. The BJP was protesting against the killing of an army jawan named Prabhu (28) in Krishnagiri by a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) councillor and his son. The jawan had been killed over an argument on the use of water. He said, “The Indian army is one of the largest and most disciplined armies in the world. If the government messes with such an army, it is not good for the Tamil Nadu government or the state.”
Pandian went on to say that if the government tests the patience of army servicemen, the law and order situation in the state will deteriorate. He said, “I am saying this with love. All our retired servicemen in this protest are experts in placing bombs, shooting and fighting. We know all of these jobs well but we do not intend on doing them. I am warning the Tamil Nadu government to not make us do these jobs” He also referred to the DMK as a “terrorist group” and called for capital punishment for the people who killed Prabhu.
Later, when the media questioned why Pandian made such comments, he got into a fight with them. When asked if he was threatening the state government by making such statements, Pandian first said that it was a warning and not a threat. He however said that If such behaviour continues, they will do what they said they would. But as the media persons kept questioning his earlier statements, he claimed that this is indeed a threat to the Tamil Nadu government.