The police in Kerala’s Kasargod district booked Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Balika Saraswati for making an incendiary speech at the Virat Hindu Samajotsava event in Badiyadukka panchayat area on April 27. Saraswati allegedly asked people to behead those who indulge in “love jihad”.

“Love jihad” is a term frequently used by Hindutva organisations to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to marry women from other religions solely to convert them to Islam.

Saraswati has been charged with making remarks with the intention to outrage religious sentiments, cause riots and with criminal intimidation, PTI reported. An unidentified police officer said Saraswati had been booked based on a complaint by a person named Naufal.

“Your sister ties the rakhi on your wrist. You, in return, gift her clothes, jewellery and sweets,” Saraswati said at the event, according to The Indian Express. “But along with that, also gift her a sword so that even when a ‘love jihadi’ glances at her, she would be brave enough to behead him and offer it at the feet of Mother India.”

Saraswati also reportedly said that those who commit cow slaughter should be similarly killed.