Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb continued his bizarre claims on Friday, saying doctors and civil engineers would be better suited for civil service positions.

“If a civil engineer becomes an Indian Administrative Services Officer, s/he can add offer inputs in construction projects, mechanical engineers cannot,” Deb said at an event marking Civil Service Day in Agartala. “One should not opt for civil services after studying mechanical engineering. Civil engineers have the experience and knowledge to help build administration and society. Civil engineering gives that knowledge.”

The chief minister added that doctors too have an added benefit of utilising their skills in a civil service post, Tripura Infoway reported. “If s/he is a doctor, if anybody becomes sick, then the knowledge will work out as immediate action,” he claimed. “In case of any successful person, including cricketers, you have to be all-rounder.”

Deb is no stranger to making controversial statements. On Thursday, he drew criticism for saying that international businessmen had taken “undue advantage” of Indians winning beauty pageants to market their products in the country. He claimed Indians no longer win such pageants because of the “international marketing mafia”. Deb also said he did not think Miss World 1997 Diana Hayden was worthy of the crown.

Last week, he said that the internet and technology existed during the time of the Mahabharata. His comments saw Twitter explode with humour and also earned him international coverage. He had also recently said that the government’s achievement of sending “104 satellites a year to space” proved the claims in the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Upanishads about India’s developed science in ancient times.