New Delhi, Apr 22 (TOI): Union minister Santosh Gangwar today in a controversial statement said that one-or-two cases of rape in a country as big as India should not be hyped.

"Such incidents (rape cases) are unfortunate. However, sometimes you can't stop them. Government is vigilant everywhere, investigations are being conducted. In a nation as big as India, one or two incidents of rape should not be hyped, he said.

Gangwar is a member of BJP and holds the charge of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing in a public event in London had said that there should be no politics over rapes.

“A rape is a rape. How can we tolerate this exploitation of our daughters? But can we compare the number of rapes in different governments? We can’t say there were this many rapes in our government and that many in yours. There cannot be a worse way to deal with this issue,” Modi told the Indian diaspora at an event, Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath.

This is not the first time a leader of the ruling party has issued a controversial statement on rape.

Earlier, BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Bairia, Surendra Singh faced backlash for his statement on the Unnao rape.

“I am speaking from a psychological point of view; no one can rape a mother of three children. It is not possible, this is a conspiracy against him (Kuldeep Singh Sengar),” Surendra Singh told ANI.

“Yes maybe her father was thrashed by some people but I refuse to believe rape charge,” Singh added.

Sengar, who is a BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Bangarmau constituency, is the main suspect in the gangrape of a 17-year-old girl in June last year.
Earlier this month, Sengar was arrested by CBI for his involvement in the case.