Vajpayee: Rioting a 'disgrace to nation'

Indian forces patrol the streets in Gujarat

NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) -- Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has appealed for peace on Saturday following the country's worst religious bloodshed in a decade.

"Whatever the provocation, people should maintain peace and exercise restraint," he said on state television. "The burning alive of people, including women and children, from Godhra to

Ahmedabad and other places is a blot on the country's face."

He said this week's violence in the western state of Gujarat had damaged India's reputation in the world. "I am confident all secular minded people will observe peace and help the government in maintaining communal harmony.

Vajpayee's appeal followed a joint plea by leaders of various political parties on Friday to maintain calm.

"It is our collective responsibility to promote brotherhood and national unity at all cost. We also appeal to the people of other states to maintain peace and communal harmony," the political parties said.

Vajpayee said he was sure people from all religions would heed the plea.

"There are times when the country is put to test. Such a situation has been created today because of the violence in Gujarat," he said.

Vajpayee said he was confident the country would be able to overcome the crisis in the same way it had done with several other crises in the past.

Muslims account for more than 12 percent of mainly Hindu India's one billion population, making them one of the largest Islamic communities in the world.