Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir on Monday said that two doctors who were not present at an event he had attended in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district should be shot at,The Indian Express reported. He also compared them to Naxalites.

The minister was angry as district civil surgeon Uday Nawade and dean of the Government Medical College, SS More, were on leave when he was inaugurating a medicine counter at a hospital in the Naxalite-hit district.

“What do the Naxals want?” Ahir said. “They don’t want democracy...These people [the doctors] don’t want democracy. So, they should join Naxals.” He added: “Why do you stay here? Go there, then we will shoot you with bullets.”

“I am a minister chosen by democracy,” ANI quoted Ahir as saying. “Despite knowing about my arrival, what is the use of going on leave?”

He added: “If there is no faith in democracy, then join the Naxalite movement, we will shoot you. There is no need to distribute tablets here. Naxalism does not like democracy.”