An Indian court has directed a zoo in West Bengal state to alter the names of two lions following objections from a hardline Hindu group, asserting that the names hurt their religious sentiments.

The lioness, initially named after the Hindu deity Sita, and the lion, called Akbar after the 16th Century Mughal ruler, faced criticism from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). They argued that naming the lioness after a goddess was blasphemous and objected to housing both lions in the same wildlife park.

Presently residing in the North Bengal Wild Animals Park in Siliguri district, the two lions’ names have sparked controversy. The court ruled on Thursday that animals should not be named after “Hindu gods, Muslim Prophets, [revered] Christian figures, Nobel laureates, and freedom fighters.”

Justice Saugata Bhattacharya questioned, “You could have named it Bijli [lightning] or something like that. But why give names such as Akbar and Sita?”

The court further questioned the appropriateness of naming pets, including dogs, after people. The judge remarked, “You could’ve avoided a controversy.”

In its complaint, the VHP, with ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claimed to have received nationwide complaints about the names of the lions. “She [Sita] is the consort of [Hindu god] Lord Ram and herself is a sacred deity to all Hindus across the world,” it stated. “Such an act amounts to blasphemy and is a direct assault on the religious beliefs of all Hindus.” The organization accused West Bengal authorities, governed by an opposition party, of intentionally causing this situation and threatened protests unless the names and location of the big cats were changed. “Sita and Akbar cannot be allowed to live together,” warned VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal.