A number of opposition parties, including Congress, the Trinamool Congress, and the DMK,  held a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Thursday  demanding the release of scores of arrested or imprisoned political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. Senior Congressman Ghulam Nabi Azad, one of the protesters, accused the centre of destruction of democracy and said "we live in the paradise of a fool." CPI Secretary-General D Raja said the repeal of Article 370 was undemocratic and "the start of a battle against fascist powers." Speaking at the event, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is also a former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, said the ruling BJP had "made a great joke of the Indian constitution".