Lucknow: State Bharatiya Janata Party`s (BJP) Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Bukkal Nawab on Thursday sparked controversy by claiming that Lord Hanuman was a Muslim, adding that Muslim names are 'almost similar' to those of Lord Hanuman.

Speaking to news agency ANI, he said, "I believe that Lord Hanuman was a Muslim. That is why the names of the people in Islam is almost similar to Lord Hanuman, whether it is Rehman, Ramzan, Farman, Zeeshan and Qurban. Such types of names are found in Islam only."

#WATCH: BJP MLC Bukkal Nawab says "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." pic.twitter.com/1CoBIl4fPv — ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2018

The BJP MLC further said that these names were derived from Lord Hanuman; had he not been there these names would not have existed.

During campaigning for recently concluded Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a poll rally in Alwar had said that Lord Hanuman was a Dalit.

"Hanuman was a forest dweller, deprived and a Dalit. Bajrang Bali worked to connect all Indian communities together, from north to south and east to west," he had said.

Following this, various political parties condemned Adityanath's remarks, with Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav taking a jibe at him, asking the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister to disclose the caste of other deities as well.

(With inputs from agencies)