New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS): BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav, former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha and NDA ally Janata Dal-United on Wednesday slammed Pakistan for downgrading diplomatic ties with India over the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was India's internal matter.

"Well I am not surprised," Sinha told IANS.

The former External Affairs Minister said, "I agree with the Central government's stand that Jammu and Kahmir is an internal matter of India and they have no right to interfere in India's internal matters."

His remarks came soon after Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with India, expelled the Indian High Commissioner and suspended bilateral trade with India in the wake of New Delhi's move of revoking special status for Jammu and Kashmir.

Echoing similar sentiments, senior BJP leader Madhav said that Pakistan's decision to downgrade bilateral relations with India and suspend trade has no locus standi on this issue.

He said, "Indian Parliament had taken a decision about Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, that is an internal matter. No other nation has locus standi to react on this."

NDA ally in Lok Sabha, Janata Dal-United also presented a united face and slammed the Pakistan government saying that it is doing all this in desperation as a face-saving exercise for its people.

JD-U spokesperson and General Secretary K.C. Tyagi said, "Pakistan for long has been sponsoring terrorism in India. A number of times our security forces have foiled their plans and gave a befitting reply to them."

"But now they have adopted a new strategy over Article 370 which shows Pakistan's desperation as it is not getting support on international platforms," the JD-U leader said.

He said, "Pakistan cutting off diplomatic ties with India and suspending trade is just a face-saving exercise for its masses that it is maintaining an anti-India stand."