Social media is abuzz with activity after Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi called out Cabinet Minister Jason Kenney on the issue of women wearing niqabs during citizenship ceremonies.

Nenshi made the comments during a radio interview with Evan Solomon earlier this week. He told Solomon that the Conservatives are ‘playing with fire’ and wasting taxpayers’ money over the issue of women wearing traditional face coverings called a niqab during official ceremonies.

He condemned their actions, calling them ‘disgusting’.

“If you’re doing it so you can gain a few points somewhere in rural Quebec, well, I expect more from my leadership,” he said during the interview.

Kenney has struck back, however, saying it seems that it’s Nenshi and people like him who are making this about politics.

‘People like Nenshi’ is now the number one topic on Twitter in Calgary, and many are applauding the mayor’s action to stand up for human rights.

The federal Court of Appeal struck down a government policy to ban the face covering during citizenship ceremonies, but the Tories say they’ll take their fight to the Supreme Court if they win in this month’s election.

Nenshi has already responded on Twitter, saying:

Meanwhile Jason Kenney says the custom has been connected closely with the faith for too long. "A vast majority of Muslims reject the mysoginy that's implicit in the practice of the niqab."

Premier Notley told Don Martin with CTV's Power Play that she finds the niqab issue is the wrong thing to have a political fight over. "I don't that making minority rights a political football in an election is a good idea and that's really all I'm going to say on this issue."