After a Muslim cleric from Karnataka caused a fracas by stating cows would be slaughtered during Bakrid, popular lyricist and activist Javed Akhtar sought his immediate arrest. The noted writer Tweeted out, slamming the comments as “irresponsible and outrageous.”

Secularism doesn’t mean ignoring or tolerating minority communalism . This irresponsible and outrageous cleric Tanveer Hashim should immediately be arrested for trying to create communal tension in Bengaluru . — Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) June 19, 2018

The cleric, Tanveer Peera Hashim, reportedly made his remarks during his sermon on the occasion of a Ramzan prayer being held in Vijayapura in north Karnataka a few days ago.

“Let me bring to your notice, in two months time there will be Bakrid. In the name of cow, this satan (devil) will do a mischief. I am telling you (the minister) this beforehand so as to ensure that with the cow another sacrifice does not happen,” Hashim said, while addressing the crowd in Urdu; Health and Family Welfare Minister Shivanand Patil was also present among the listeners.

The volatile remarks sparked a row as the act of cow slaughter is banned in Karnataka. The cleric heads the Hashim Pir Dargah at Vijayapura, and his speech has since gone viral.