New Delhi, Feb 26 (Zee News): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Surendra Singh has yet again stoked a controversy after saying that he does not consider those people Indians who refuse to say 'Bharat mata ki jai'. "I call those people Pakistani who shy away from saying Bharat Mata ki jai. "Ballia: Bairia BJP MLA Surendra Singh said 'aise logon ko Pakistani kehta hun jo Bharat Mata ki jai bolne se katrate hain'," he said.

He made the statement on Sunday, the video of which has gone viral.

This is not the first time that Singh has given such controversial statements. Earlier in January 2018, he had claimed that India would become a Hindu nation by the year 2024. "There are a very few Muslims who are patriotic. Once India becomes a Hindu 'rashtra' (Hindu nation), Muslims who assimilate into our culture will stay in India. Those who will not are free to take asylum in any other country," Bairia MLA Surendra Singh had said.

Singh had then described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an 'avatari purush' (reincarnation of a deity). "By the grace of God, India is going to be a global superpower thanks to the leadership of PM Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Not only will India become a 'vishwa guru', it will also become a Hindu 'rashtra' by 2024," he had said.

He had also attacked the Congress and its chief Rahul Gandhi saying, "There are two sets of values in Rahul Gandhi - one is Italian, while the other one is Indian...He can never become the torchbearer of the Indian thought."

The BJP lawmaker had said that Gandhi scion could coin any slogan to become the prime minister of the country, but he lacked the strength and values to make India strong.