Surendra Singh earlier targeted Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

In a shocking and deeply unsettling remark, BJP leader Surendra Singh yesterday targeted Muslims over their marital practices and said Muslim men who have many wives and father children in large numbers exhibit "animalistic tendency".

"In Muslim religion, you know people keep 50 wives and give birth to 1,050 children. This is not a tradition but animalistic tendency," Surendra Singh, the BJP legislator from Ballia, said.

The comment, which was captured on video by news agency ANI, was made to sounds of laughter from people surrounding the BJP leader.

#WATCH Surendra Singh, BJP MLA from Ballia: In Muslim religion, you know that people keep 50 wives and give birth to 1050 children. This is not a tradition but an animalistic tendency. (14.07.2019) pic.twitter.com/i3AJa9ZSxw — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 15, 2019

Surendra Singh has a history of making controversial and derogatory remarks.

In March, he made an offensive remark against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Sonia Gandhi, after reports at the time suggested cinema artiste Sapna Chaudhury would join the party.

Here is what Surendra Singh told news agency ANI in Hindi: "Rahul's mother was also in the same profession in Italy and his father made her his own. He (Rahul Gandhi) should also take the family tradition forward and make Sapna his own".

Prior to that comment he also called Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi "Raavan" and "Surpanakha", in a reference to the Demon King and his sister from Ramayana.

In January, he accused BSP chief Mayawati of "murdering" a woman's dignity by joining hands with one-time arch-rival Samajwadi Party.

"For power, Mayawati has done what no person who values his or her dignity would do... she has embraced those who had attacked her and by doing so she has murdered a woman's dignity," Surendra Singh said.

He also backed party colleague Sadhana Singh after she called the former chief minister "worse than a transgender".

He had also hit headlines after advising people to have five children in order to increase the population of Hindus in India, and demanding that people who do not chant Vande Mataram had "no right to live in India".

With input from ANI