India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday filed a police complaint against Trinamool Congress (TMC) parliamentarian Mahua Moitra, accusing her of making “anti-national” remarks against Home Minister Amit Shah.

The complaint, lodged at Kotwali police station in Nadia district, followed comments Moitra made on Aug. 26 during a land allotment event in Krishnanagar. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Moitra criticised the government over illegal immigration and lashed out at Shah.

“If no one is responsible for guarding India’s borders and thousands from other countries can just walk in, then the Home Minister’s head should be cut off and placed on the Prime Minister’s table,” Moitra said, referring to Shah.

Her remarks sparked an immediate backlash from BJP leaders, who questioned how a sitting MP could speak of beheading a Union minister. Sukanta Majumdar, a BJP MP and former state party president, said: “Mahua proves that knowing English does not mean one is educated.”

Sandeep Majumdar, BJP spokesperson for Nadia North organisational district, lodged the police complaint, demanding immediate action against the lawmaker.

The controversy comes months ahead of West Bengal state elections. Immigration and border security have become flashpoints in the political contest between the BJP, which accuses the state government of sheltering illegal migrants for electoral gain, and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s TMC, which argues that border protection is the responsibility of the federally controlled Border Security Force (BSF).