NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh warned on Monday of rising ethnic and communal tensions in India and blamed extremist elements for fuelling the violence.

His comments came against a backdrop of unrest, particularly attacks by Hindus on Christians in eastern Orissa and southern Karnataka states, and clashes between Muslims and tribal groups in the northeast.

“Perhaps the most disturbing and dangerous aspect today is the assault on our composite culture... we see fault-lines developing between, and among, communities,” Singh told a conference of chief state ministers in New Delhi. Singh said the violence threatened what he described as India’s proud “inheritance” of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-caste society.

“There are clashes between Hindus, Christians, Muslims and tribal groups. An atmosphere of hatred and violence is being artificially generated.

There are forces deliberately encouraging such tendencies,” he said.

India is officially secular but clashes between the majority Hindu community and minority Christians and Muslims erupt periodically.

At least 35 people died in Hindu-Christian violence in Orissa following the killing of a hardline Hindu priest and four of his followers in August.

Prior to Singh’s address, a group of Church leaders, including the Archbishop of Delhi, Vincent Concessao, had issued a joint statement urging the government to protect Christians.

“We must be allowed ... to profess our faith in honour and without fear,” the statement said.

The issue of anti-Christian violence in India was raised by Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday during a mass at the Vatican to canonise India’s first woman saint.

“I urge the perpetrators of violence to renounce these acts and join with their brothers and sisters to work together in building a civilization of love,” the pope said.

His remarks were welcomed by India’s Catholic clergy, but the main opposition party, the Hindu nationalist BJP, criticised the pontiff for interfering in India’s internal affairs.

Attacks on Christians are just one example of a recent surge in communal violence here.

Earlier this month, some 50 people were killed in clashes between Muslim migrants and tribal groups in India’s northeastern Assam state.

India has also been rocked by a series of bomb blasts targeting major cities this year that have taken a combined toll of more than 100 lives.

A homegrown Islamic group, the Indian Mujahideen, claimed responsibility for the blasts in the cities of Jaipur, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and New Delhi, saying they were revenge for attacks on Muslims across India.

“There can be no compromise with terrorism and terrorists have to be dealt with firmly,” Singh said in his speech.

“We need to meet today’s mindless violence with the requisite amount of force but must also ensure that this is tempered by reason and justice which is the normal order of governance,” he added.