Wednesday, July 6 2005 10:10 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India yesterday night (July 5, 2005) said the terror attack in Ayodhya should not affect the peace process with Pakistan.

"Whoever may be responsible for the attack, this should not affect," Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil told reporters when asked whether the incident would have an impact on the ongoing Indo-Pak peace process.

Emerging from a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) that deliberated on the situation arising out of this morning's incident in Ayodhya, he said "there are only a handful of people who believe in terrorism. The majority believes in peace. We will not allow the intentions of the few people to succeed".

Patil said the CCPA unanimously hailed the security personnel who foiled the terrorists' plans to storm into the makeshift temple and killed all the attackers. In an apparent reference to VHP and BJP, he said the incident should not be used in such a way that encourages terrorism and creates hostility in the society.