New Delhi: In a statement that could stoke controversy, a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government explained why rape of a minor girl is "different" from that of a married woman.

Elaborating on the "nature of rape", Upendra Tiwari went on to say that while the sexual assault of minor girls was rape, he raised his doubts over the rape of ‘married women’, who were above 30 years of age.

“Dekhiye rape ka nature hota hai, ab jaise agar koi nabalig ladki hai uske sath rape hua hai toh usko to hum rape manenge. Lekin kahin kahin pe ye bhi sunne ko aata hai ko ki vivahit mahila hai, umar 30-35 saal hai....uska alag-alag nature hai. (Rape cases are of different nature. If there is a minor girl who has been raped, we consider it to be rape. But in some cases, we see married women, who are 30-35 years of age, that is another nature),” Tiwari said while talking to media.

#WATCH UP Minister Upendra Tiwari: Dekhiye rape ka nature hota hai, ab jaise agar koi nabalig ladki hai uske sath rape hua hai toh usko to hum rape manenge, lekin kahin-kahin pe ye bhi sunne ko aata hai ko ki vivahit mahila hai, umar 30-35 saal hai....uska alag-alag nature hai pic.twitter.com/Ou1AMPsvGB — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 9, 2019

Tiwari, who is minister of state (independent charge) for Water Resources, forest and environment, continued to say that women complain of rape after being in romantic relationship for several years. “They should complaint about it as and when it happens and not after years,” Tiwari said.

He also said that in cases of rape, the authorities have been taking strict action with chief minister Yogi Adityanath overseeing it.