Protest against the rape of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua near Jammu, and a teenager in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh state. (REUTERS/Ajay Verma)

Bhupendra Singh, the Madhya Pradesh home minister, has said that his government is considering a ban on porn in the state as they believe pornography to be the reason for a rise in the number of rape and molestation cases.

Singh's comments, reported by news agency ANI, come against the backdrop of the Kathua and Unnao gangrape cases, both of which have led to nationwide anger.

Singh, who also handles the transport portfolio in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government and was previously a Member of Parliament, was quoted by ANI as saying, "We think the reason for rising number of child rape and molestation cases is porn. We are contemplating banning porn in Madhya Pradesh, will approach Centre in the matter."

The two recent rape cases - in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao - have put the Bharatiya Janata Party on the backfoot.

In the Kathua case, two state ministers, who are leaders of the BJP, had to resign after a major controversy over their presence at a rally in support of the alleged rapists.

In Unnao, on the other hand, a BJP legislator - Kuldeep Singh Sengar - has been accused of raping a teenager. Sengar has denied the allegations and was recently arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which took over the probe after allegations that the Uttar Pradesh police was not effectively investigating the Unnao gangrape case.

The outrage and anger over the Kathua and Unnao rape cases has forced the Centre to amend the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to enhance the maximum punishment in cases of rapes of children less than 12 years of age.

The amendment, which was passed as an ordinance by the Union cabinet and approved by President Ram Nath Kovind, provides for the death penalty to be given in cases of rapes of children less than 12 years.

WATCH | BJP minister seeks porn ban in Madhya Pradesh to curb child rapes