A Mangalore court on Wednesday directed the police to register an FIR against Union Minister for Women and Child Welfare Renuka Chowdhury, for her reported remark that 'Mangalore has been Talibanised', in the wake of the attack on women at a local pub on January 24 by activists of the Sri Ram Sena.

According to Hosabettu, Chowdhury's statement had hurt the sentiments of the residents of Mangalore and as the mayor, he was responsible for the people.

P P Hegde argued before the court that the minister had deliberately made a communally provocative statement in order to incite violence. He also requested the court to issue a warrant and secure her presence.

The court directed the police to file an FIR under 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups) and B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) and 505 (Statements conducive to public mischief) under the Indian Penal Code and also to submit the probe report by March 20.

Earlier, mayor Hosabettu had issued a notice to the minister, asking her to withdraw her statement and tender an apology. He had claimed that Taibanisation refers to terrorism and her statements were anti-Indian.