New Delhi, Nov. 9 -- India on Saturday rejected Pakistan's "unwarranted and gratuitous" statement on the Ayodhya verdict, saying it is a civil matter that is completely internal to India.

"We reject the unwarranted and gratuitous comments made by Pakistan on the judgment of the Supreme Court of India on a civil matter that is completely internal to India. It pertains to the rule of law and equal respect for all faiths, concepts that are not part of their ethos. So, while Pakistan's lack of comprehension is not surprising, their pathological compulsion to comment on our internal affairs with the obvious intent of spreading hatred is condemnable," the official statement said.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qure...