The decision by the Centre to repeal Article 370 and re-organise Jammu & Kashmir with many State leaders under house arrest and through a...

DMK president M.K. Stalin issued a vehement denunciation of the Union government's unilateral decision to repeal Article 370 of the Constitution and dismantle the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Stalin declared the fateful decision as a dark day in the history of Indian federalism, emphasizing that altering the fundamental constitutional status and geographical boundaries of a constituent state without democratic consultation violates the core spirit of constitutionalism and democracy.

Highlighting the coercive circumstances under which the restructuring was executed, Stalin pointed out that mainstream political leaders and former chief ministers were placed under arbitrary house arrest while millions of citizens were subjected to unprecedented communications blackouts and military confinement. Pushing through sweeping legislative changes through a compliant, unelected governor bypassed the mandatory constitutional requirement of seeking the concurrence of the state's elected assembly. Stalin observed that treating an entire state as an administrative territory to be restructured by executive fiat threatens all Indian states.

Reaffirming the DMK's steadfast commitment to cooperative federalism, Stalin warned that eroding regional autonomy invites deep civic discontent. He urged the democratic conscience of India to unite in defending constitutional principles against authoritarian central consolidation.