The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera for using “unparliamentary” language against the prime minister, PTI reported.

The BJP filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Office of Delhi, citing a TV debate aired on March 16. in which Khera claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name was an acronym – “M for Masood, O for Osama, D for Dawood and I for ISI”. When BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra questioned Khera for linking Modi to Jaish chief Masood Azhar, al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence or ISI, Khera said the prime minister “hid behind” all of them.

The BJP wrote to the Chief Electoral Officer saying that “comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with dreaded terrorists is not only unparliamentary but also defamatory and deplorable”, reported NDTV.

“It is not only wrong to call our respected PM with such unparliamentary names but also a blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct,” the letter said. SN Verma, co-convenor of the Delhi BJP’s legal department, said Khera’s remark was made with a “malafide intention”.

The party also demanded action against Khera for violating the Model Code of Conduct.