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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said those asking him to drink some beer or listen to prominent German composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with the hope that his style of governing the country will be better are engaging in utter fascism.

The president’s remarks came at a meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Tuesday. Erdogan was responding to recent remarks from famous Turkish actor Rutkay Aziz and journalist Yilmaz Ozdil, Turkish Minute reports.

During a TV program on opposition TV station Halk TV, Ozdil said: “I am saying this with all sincerity. If Erdogan had drunk a [bottle] of beer, there would be a better Turkey today.”

Erdogan, an Islamist, hates the use of alcohol, which is banned in Islam, and has on many occasions attacked people who drink alcoholic beverages.

Ozdil said if Erdogan had drunk beer, he would see drinking beer is not as bad as he thinks.

As for Aziz, the actor complained about pressure on Erdogan critics and some critical artists in Turkey during a recent interview with the Posta daily and said: “He [Erdogan] should listen to Mozart, [German composer Ludwig van] Beethoven. Perhaps, doing this would be helpful [for him].”

Erdogan, without mentioning Aziz and Ozdil by name, said, “Forcing the president of this country, who has a known background and stance, to drink beer, listen to Mozart is utter fascism.”

Aziz responded to Erdogan’s remarks later in the day during a phone call to Arti TV and said it looks like Erdogan does not actually know what fascism means.

“Am I being the fascist in this case or is it Mozart?” he asked.