New Delhi, Aug 13 - India Thursday slammed a US body's move to put India on its 'watch list' for allegedly inadequate response in protecting its religious minorities, and asserted that the Indian constitution guarantees freedom of religion and equality of opportunity to all its citizens.

'India, a country of 1.1 billion people, is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society,' external affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said in response to a question.

'The constitution of India guarantees freedom of religion and equality of opportunity to all its citizens who live and work together in peace and harmony,' he said.

'Aberrations, if any, are dealt with promptly within our legal framework, under the watchful eye of an independent judiciary and a vigilant media,' the spokesperson said.

'The reported move referred to in the news reports is egrettable,' he said.

Prakash was referring to the decision of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to place India on its 'watch list' due to 'disturbing increase' in communal violence against religious minorities in the country.