Perpetrators of attacks on Christians to be firmly dealt: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said perpetrators of attacks on churches, schools and orphanages in Orissa and Karnataka would be severely dealt with.

“I deeply regret the loss of life and property and attacks on churches … I assure you that the perpetrators of such heinous crimes are dealt with severely .. we will spare no effort to rebuild churches and schools,” Singh told an election rally in Mizoram which has a dominant Christian population.

Terming the attacks on Christians as a “matter of national shame”, he said Congress and the UPA government had continuosly upheld the principles of secularism and multi-culturalism.