Left parties to stage protests tomorrow

PATNA: The Left parties in Bihar reacted strongly to the developments regarding Jammu and Kashmir with the CPI(ML) calling it a “coup against the Constitution” and deciding to stage statewide protest on Wednesday.

CPI(ML), CPI, CPM, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Forward Bloc and Socialist Unity Centre of India would meet at Janshakti Bhavan on Tuesday morning to discuss the ways of organising the protests.

CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said Article 370 was like “the bridge that connected Kashmir to the rest of India. The Presidential Order on Article 370 and bifurcating J&K into two Union Territories is nothing short of a coup against the Constitution.”

A CPI press communique said, “to dismantle the state of J&K into different Union Territories without proper discussion in Parliament is undermining the parliamentary practices, procedures and precedence.” State CPM functionary Arun Mishra called it “undemocratic, unconstitutional and in utter disregard for the people of J&K, as whatever has been done is without discussion and any consensus.”