The Lucknow Police on Sunday filed a case against filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma for his remarks about the National Democratic Alliance’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, PTI reported.

The first information report has been filed at the city’s Hazratganj police station, Police Commissioner DK Thakur said. The case has been registered under sections of the Information Technology Act, according to ANI.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had named Murmu as the National Democratic Alliance’s presidential candidate on June 21. She filed her nomination for the presidential election on June 24.

On June 22, Varma remarked on Twitter: “If Draupadi is the president who are the Pandavas? And more importantly, who are the Kauravas?”

Two days later, he said that he made the comment in “earnest irony” and did not intend to hurt anyone’s sentiments.

“Draupadi in Mahabharata is my [favourite] character but since the name is such a rarity I just remembered the associated characters and hence my expression,” he said.

On June 25, Varma posted two more tweets about her.

“The tremendousness of this incredible icon the extremely honourable Drapaudi being president is that both Pandavas and Kauravas will forget their battle and together worship her and then Mahabharat will be rewritten in new India and the world will be proud of India…Jai BJP,” the 60-year-old said.

Varma said in the second tweet: “Post the extensive research I did on the honourable Draupadi ji and studying the nuances in the intensity of her eyes and the depths of both her smile and facial contours, I have no doubt that she will be the greatest president ever in the whole wide world…Thank you BJP.”