Several Opposition parties, led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, will hold a protest at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Thursday against the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The protest will be held to seek democracy in the region, and demand the release of political leaders, DMK chief MK Stalin said on Monday.

“We want all like-minded parties to join us,” PTI quoted DMK legislator TR Baalu as saying. “Everyone who believes in the Union and democracy should join us. We are demanding the release of these leaders who have been detained for more than 14 days now. They are former chief ministers and they have been detained.”

Among those participating in the demonstrations are the Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Trinamool Congress and the India Union Muslim League. Baalu said he was also trying to get in touch with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

“We will be part of the protest at Jantar Mantar and we demand that those detained in Jammu and Kashmir must be immediately released,” Communist Party of India General Secretary D Raja said.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday tweeted that human rights had been “totally violated” in Kashmir. On the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, Banerjee said: “Let us pray for human rights and peace in #Kashmir.”

On August 5, the government removed Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and split the state into two Union Territories that will come into effect on October 31. The region was put under heavy security restrictions, which have been eased gradually since. Several political leaders – including former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti – are still under detention.