Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday claimed that India was no more a democracy. Azad's remarks came while he was addressingan all-party meet, called by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) at Jantar Mantar protesting against the house arrest of senior political leaders of Kashmir."Let me tell you, we are no more a democracy. If anyone thinksthat he is living in a democracy that person is living in fool'sparadise," Azad said. Azad added that "When I was the Minister of Information and Broadcasting I had no guts to call the editor of state-ownedmedia platforms to drop a story. But now any random leader of the ruling partycalls any media outlet, its editors or owners to drop the story and the out lethas to oblige. This is not a democracy."

Azad urged the Central government to restore all the Telecomservices in Jammu and Kashmir and to release all the political prisoners andleaders including Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.

"Landline is not even used by 0.001 per cent of thecivilians in Jammu and Kashmir, only government officials use it. If you reallyclaim that everything is peaceful in Kashmir, then open mobile services,"Azad added.Among those participating in the demonstration was the CommunistParty of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Trinamool Congress,Samajwadi Party and the Indian Union Muslim League.

Congress leaders Karti Chidambaram and Ghulam Nabi Azad,RJD's Manoj Jha, CPI(M) leaders Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat, SamajwadiParty's Ram Gopal Yadav and senior leaders from the DMK among others werepresent at the meet.

On August 5, the government removed Jammu and Kashmir'sspecial status and split the state into two Union Territories that will comeinto effect on October 31.

The region has been put under heavy security restrictions,which have been eased gradually since. Several political leaders -- includingformer Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti -- arestill in detention.