RAIPUR: A BJP MP on Thursday said the rape of grown-up girls and women might be understandable but if someone does this to an infant, he should be hanged.

He said rape of minor is a heinous crime and those who commits such crime should be hanged.

"The rape of grown-up girls and women might be understandable but if someone does this to an infant, it is a heinous crime and the offenders should be hanged (barabari ya bade logo ke sath balatkar samajh me ata hai, lekin nabalig bachhiyo ke sath is tarah ka jaghanya apradh karma. Inko to fasi par latka dena chahiye)", MP Ramesh Bais , who was also a Union minister from 1998 to 2004 during the NDA rule, told reporters referring to the rape case involving minor inmates of a government-run residential school in Kanker district of the state.

Asked about the MP's remarks, the state's main opposition Congress said assault on women, whether she is a child or a grown-up, is a heinous crime.

Congress spokesman Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said "assault on anyone is a heinous crime. The statement (of Bais) is objectionable and we condemn this".

Bais said the incident like the one in Kanker happened in several places but they were not reported.

"Just terminating the employees will not bring back the honour of the victims. The accused in the case should be given stringent punishment", Bais said.

"The incident of Delhi gang-rape has rocked everyone to think over such crimes. The incident of Chhattisgarh is a matter of shame," the MP said.

The MP also suspected the involvement of senior officials and claimed that for the past several months the girls were being sexually assaulted and the concerned officials were unaware of it.

The incident of sexual assault on minor inmates of the government-run residential school for tribal girls in Jhaliyamari village of Kanker district came to light last Sunday.

So far six people, including two teachers, have been arrested in connection with the crime.

According to police, the medical examination has confirmed rape on nine inmates out of 40 who are living in a hostel.