Tamil Nadu: Ex-serviceman booked for making controversial remarks during BJP's hunger strike

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 23 : Ex-serviceman Colonel BB Pandian (retired) was booked for making controversial remarks during the BJP's hunger strike organised in Chennai to condemn the death of a serving jawan following an assault allegedly by a group of people, including a DMK councillor.
"Chennai Police have registered a case against BJP National Executive Committee member and ex-serviceman Colonel BB Pandian," the police said on Wednesday.
Col B Pandian (retd), who now serves as a functionary of the BJP ex-servicemen wing in Tamil Nadu, during the strike said, "I am warning the Tamil Nadu government. The Indian Army is the second-largest army in the world and the most disciplined. If you provoke Army jawans, it is not good for the state, nor for the government," Pandian had said.
"If you attempt to test us, the law and order in the state will not be maintained if that happens," he further said, adding that he was making all these remarks in a very "kind manner".
While delivering his speech, Pandian warned the DMK government that "ex-servicemen were well-trained in using bombs and guns and that the government should not push the veterans into using them."
"We know all these things but we don't want to do them. I request the state government not to make us do these things. This is a warning," he said following a case against him under the sections of causing conflict between the two premiers and disturbing public peace for his speech at the Tiruvallikeni police station.
The ex-serviceman made the controversial remarks during a protest organised by the state unit of BJP in Chennai over the killing of an Army jawan in Krishnagiri district allegedly by a DMK councillor on Tuesday.
However, Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party chief K Annamalai on Wednesday said that the party will "intensify" the protests against the state government over a soldier's murder allegedly by a DMK councilor.
He said that the state's progress has been stalled under the DMK government and added that the BJP will continue to attack Chief Minister MK Stalin.
His remarks came after the Tamil Nadu Police registered a case against 3,500 BJP leaders and cadres for conducting candle light march allegedly without proper permission.
The BJP leaders on Tuesday carried out a candlelight march for the army soldier Lance Naik Prabhu who was hacked to death allegedly by a DMK Councillor in Krishnagiri. The police claimed that the BJP leaders did not seek permission for the march and registered a case against the BJP leaders.
According to the police, the DMK Councillor had an argument with the 33-year-old Armyman Prabhu over washing clothes at a water tank near the victim's house on February 8.
The brawl escalated to an extent that the DMK Councillor along with nine persons allegedly attacked the victim Prabhu, and his brother, Prabhakaran later that day.
Prabhu who was undergoing treatment in a private hospital at Hossur and later succumbed to his injuries.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Police arrested the main accused DMK Councillor Chinnasamy and nine others including his son Rajapandi in the jawan's death case.