Orissa CM: No letter received from US senators

The Chief Minister of Orissa Naveen Patnaik has denied receiving any letter from US lawmakers regarding the 2008 Kandhamal violence.

"Me or my office has not received any letter from any of the 21 US senate members as reported by the media," Patnaik told reporters in Bhubaneswar.

The chief minister's statement came following the opposition of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seeking a clarification in the letter.

BJP leaders Ashok Sahu and Nayan Mohanty earlier disapproved foreign countries, including the USA interfering in the " internal matters of a sovereign, democratic and secular republic."

They argued that the government was capable of handling its matters and maintaining the freedom of its citizens irrespective of their religion, caste and creed.

The controversy-making letter was sent by a group of US lawmakers led by Republican Trent Franks. It condemned the lack of security for Christians, and the undetermined prosecution in connection to last year's violence against Christians following the death of a Hindu seer.

The letter released last Friday said "attacks on the fundamental freedom of religion threaten not only India's reputation for religious diversity, but also the very stability of India's secular democracy."