Desist from commenting on India's internal affairs: New Delhi tells Turkey

India on Thursday asked Pakistan's close ally, Turkey, to refrain from commenting on the internal affairs of the country and also cautioned Ankara against encouraging cross-border terrorism.

India's reaction came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Thursday criticised the country after communal riots in Delhi left at least 38 people dead.

"I can but only advise the Turkey to refrain from commenting on the internal affairs of India and develop a better understanding of the democratic practices," First Secretary at India's Permanent Mission Vimarsh Aryan said while exercising the right of reply after Pakistan raised concerns over human rights in Jammu and Kashmir at the 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council here.

"I also caution them not to encourage cross-border terrorism," Aryan said.

Turkey has been backing Pakistan on the Kashmir issue and President Erdogan has angered India by raising the issue at the UN General Assembly. He has also criticised the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

"India right now has become a country where massacres are widespread. What massacres? Massacres of Muslims. By who? Hindus," AFP quoted Erdogan as saying during a speech in Ankara after violence broke out this week in Delhi between Hindus and Muslims over the amended citizenship law.

Erdogan, a devout Muslim, sees himself as a defender of Islam, often taking public stands on issues concerning the faith and its followers, the AFP report noted.