International opinion

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who faced tough questions over violence against Christians in Orissa and Karnataka during his visit to France, told his Cabinet colleagues on Friday that the incidents in these States had affected the image of the country.
At a Cabinet meeting here, the Prime Minister mentioned how he faced embarrassing questions over the incidents during his meetings with the leaders of the U.S. and European Union, official sources said.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is the current head of the 27-nation European, raised the issue of attacks on Christians in Orissa and Karnataka during his meeting with Dr. Singh in Marseilles earlier this week. He described these incidents as “massacre” against Christians.
Facing such embarrassment, Dr. Singh termed these violent incidents as a “national shame.” — PTI