New Delhi, Aug 5 (IANS): The CPI-M on Monday accused the Modi government of striking a big blow to democracy and the Constitution by scrapping Article 370 and dismantling the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The people of Kashmir had acceded to India in the face of invaders from Pakistan and a solemn commitment had been made to them by the Indian State to provide them with special status and autonomy which was embodied in Article 370," a CPI-M statement said.

"The Modi government has betrayed the people of Jammu and Kashmir by going back on this commitment," the Communist Party of India-Marxist said.

The party accused the "BJP-RSS rulers" of treating Jammu and Kashmir as "occupied territory".

Trampling on the Constitution, they were converting Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh as two centrally-ruled Union Territories. "This is the biggest attack on national unity and the concept of India as a Union of States," the statement said.

Citing the major security build up ahead of the announcement, the CPI-M said: "This itself shows that the Modi government is imposing its diktats without the consent of the people... This is harmful for the unity and integrity of India."