WATCH: BJP MLC Bukkal Nawab says 'Lord Hanuman was Muslim'

"In my belief, he was a Muslim, which is why almost all the names of Muslim people bear similarity to the name 'Hanuman' like Suleman, Zishan, Sultan and others," Nawab said.

New Delhi: Weeks after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stirred a huge controversy around the caste of the Hindu Lord Hanuman by saying he was a “dalit”, another BJP lawmaker has now commented on the religion of the God and has said that he was a “Muslim”.

Bukkal Nawab, Member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council, on Thursday said that Lord Hanuman was, in fact, a Muslim.

The legislator who comes from a prominent Nawab family of Awadh said while talking to the news agency that as per his beliefs Lord Hanuman was a Muslim and this is why the names of Muslim people are kept like Rehman, Ramzan, Farman, Zishan, Qurban.

He was quoted by the agency as saying: “Hamara man'na hai Hanuman ji Muslaman theyy, isliye Musalmanon ke andar jo naam rakha jata hai Rehman, Ramzan, Farman, Zishan, Qurban jitne bhi naam rakhe jaate hain wo karib karib unhi par rakhe jaate hain."

In the video shared by ANI on Twitter, Nawab can be heard saying: "Hanuman Ji belonged to the entire world and all religions. In my belief, he was a Muslim, which is why almost all the names of Muslim people bear similarity to the name Hanuman like Suleman, Zishan, Sultan and others."

Bukkal Nawab was one of the closest aides of Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav. He quit the party and switched over to BJP before the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in 2017.