India reacts to Pope's condemnation of religious violence
Updated
India's Catholic clergy has welcomed the pope's condemnation of violence against the country's Christian minority, while Hindu nationalist politicians accused the Vatican of interfering.
At a mass to canonise India's first woman saint, Pope Benedict XVI invited prayers for Christians suffering persecution in India.
Attacks by Hindu extremists on Christians in the eastern state of Orissa have left 35 people dead since August and resulted in numerous churches being burnt to the ground.
The Archbishop of Delhi, Vincent M Concessao, spoke out against the violence.
"What's happening there in Orissa, and what happened in Karnataka are very bad reflections on some of our people," he said
"Again I would say, it's a fringe group that does not believe in our constitution. They are not only against minorities, they are against the people of India."
