I respect doctors; didn't say anything against their profession, clarifies Ahir

Clarifying his earlier statement on a few doctors, whom he advised to join Naxals, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir on Tuesday said that he respects doctors and his outburst was because few doctors were absent from the event.

"The organiser was himself absent. I have not spoken against the profession but a particular doctor. Whatever I said was for the civil surgeon and no one else. I respect doctors from the bottom of my heart. I just showed my anger on absence of some doctors from the event," he told ANI.

Ahir yesterday got angry with a civil surgeon who didn't attend a hospital inauguration ceremony.

When Ahir got to know that the civil surgeon was on leave, he lost his temper.

"I am a minister chosen by democracy. Why did they go on leave despite knowing about my arrival?" asked Ahir.

An angry Ahir also advised the absent doctor to join the Naxals.

"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," Ahir said.

Gadchiroli, Chandrapur and Gondia districts are the Naxal-affected areas of Maharashtra.