The Karnataka Police on Wednesday filed a case against Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Y Bharat Shetty for allegedly saying that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi should have been slapped in Parliament for his remarks about Hindus, The New Indian Express reported.

Shetty was booked for making statements leading to public mischief under Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita based on a complaint lodged by Congress worker Anil Kumar, Commissioner of Police Anupam Agarwal said.

Shetty, who represents the Mangalore North Assembly constituency, allegedly said that Gandhi should be slapped for showing a portrait of Hindu deity Shiva in Parliament and for calling Hindus violent, according to the Hindustan Times. While the Congress leader had alleged that BJP leaders called themselves Hindus but only spoke of violence, the Hindutva party claimed that he called all Hindus violent.

The Mangalore North MLA’s comment sparked sharp criticism from the Congress. The Karnataka Congress’ Working President Manjunath Bhadary said that he would request state Home Minister G Parameshwara to take strict action against Shetty for trying to incite violence.

“The manner in which Shetty spoke about Rahul Gandhi makes all legislators from the coastal Karnataka hang their head in shame,” he said, according to The New Indian Express. “He has only joined the list of legislators who support violence and intimate government officials.”