"No toilet, no bride". That's the latest message from a senior Indian Minister, who Sunday urged women not to get married into families which do not have toilets at homes.

"Don't get married in a house where there is no toilet," Indian Rural Development and Water and Sanitation Minister Jairam Ramesh said in the northern state of Rajasthan.

He added: "You consult the astrologers about rahu-ketu ( planetary positions) to know about suitability of stars before getting married. You should also look whether there is a toilet at your groom's home before you decide to get married."

The Minister was addressing a crowd at Khajuri village near Kota in the state.

Ramesh had earlier courted controversy by saying that India has more temples than toilets, sparking protests by Hindu right-wing activists across the country.