Protests are continuing in India after two cousins, ages 12 and 14, were raped and hanged from a tree last week in Uttar Pradesh. A state minister from the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi fueled the outrage with his comments about rape.

Babulal Gaur, home minister in Madhya Pradesh: “Rape is a social crime. It is sometimes right, sometimes wrong. It is difficult to stop rapes completely, as a rapist does not reveal his intentions before committing the crime. We take action only when it is reported.”

The suspects in the double murder are from the same social caste as the police, who reportedly insulted and refused to help the 12-year-old victim’s father when he reported her disappearance. The victims are from a lower caste.