Chennai, Aug 5 (PTI) The DMK on Monday strongly condemned the Centre's move to revoke Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was a "murder of democracy".

DMK president M K Stalin said the measures should be held back till a democratically-elected government assumed office in the state.

Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters here, he said the Centre had gone ahead with its proposal without getting the concurrence of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and called it a "murder of democracy."

The DMK leader strongly condemned the bifurcation bid as an "anti-democratic" step.

Stalin also hit out at the AIADMK for supporting the Centre's move in Parliament.

Later, in a statement, Stalin accused the BJP-led Centre of being only concerned about implementing its ideological agenda and not respecting the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who stood behind India.

Earlier in the day, the Centre revoked Article 370 and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two Union territories.

"This move is seen as an attempt to divert (the) people's attention from basic issues and is a cause for concern and shocking," Stalin said.

"When a voice for more powers to States strongly echoed across the country, dividing an existing state into union territories showed that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government was raring to go against the path of democracy," he said.

The DMK chief said his party had continuously opposed any move to scrap Article 370 and wanted the government to change its stand of taking steps in a "hasty" fashion.

Later, Stalin said in his twitter handle that his party stood with its Kashmiri brothers and sisters and would oppose any assault on federal structure.

"The decision by the Centre to repeal Article 370 and re-organise Jammu and Kashmir with many state leaders under house arrest and through a pliant Governor goes against the grain of democracy and constitutionalism. This is a dark day in the history of Indian federalism. #Kashmir," he said.

Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader T T V Dhinakaran said people's sentiments should have been respected and the government should have take a decision after holding a referendum.

In a series of tweets, the rival AIADMK leader said it was the Centre's duty to see that the people and especially the minorities in Jammu and Kashmir were not affected.

The AMMK leader claimed that the move would only further foment extremism in Kashmir, which was already on edge and lead to uncertainty and besmirch India's reputation in the international arena.

Naam Tamizhar Katchi chief Seeman said scrapping the provisions that protected the rights of Kashmir was a "brutal murder of democracy" and an autocratic measure done through law.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)