The Chennai Police have booked a Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party functionary for spreading misinformation and posting defamatory content on social media with the intent to cause a riot, The Hindu reported on Friday.

A case was filed against Vinoj P Selvam, president of the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha after a Chennai resident Elangovan filed a police complaint.

Elangovan on Thursday referred to a tweet by Selvam showing a caricature resembling Chief Minister MK Stalin standing next to a bulldozer as two machines demolish temples. The text above the image claimed more than “130 temples had been demolished in 200 days”.

In the text accompanying the tweet, Selvam wrote in Tamil: “News that those who hoisted the black flag on Republic Day as Tamil Nadu during the liberation war have demolished 130 sacred Hindu temples.”

Selvam claimed that Hinduism was being suppressed more than it was during the struggle for Independence. He also encouraged citizens to vote for the BJP alliance in the local body elections, which will be held on February 19.

Chennai Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal said legal action will be taken against those who spread fake news or misinformation aimed at disturbing public tranquillity and creating religious hatred using social media or WhatsApp, according to The Hindu.

The police have booked Selvam under Indian Penal Code sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation, with intent to cause riot), 505 and 505(1)(b) (statements conducing to public mischief).