Army commander LT.General Sarath Fonseka

MDMK staged a demonstration in front of the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner's Office at Chennai on Wedneday.

Hundreds of people took part and raised slogans denouncing Lankan defence chief Sarath Fonseka for his reported remarks describing Tamil Nadu politicians as jokers.

MDMK general secretary Vai.Ko said if Sarath Fonseka had the cheek to make such comments, it was because the Mahinda Rajapakse regime enjoyed the solid backing of the Indian government.

He wanted the Centre to force the President himself to apologise failing which he demanded the Lankan envoy to India should be expelled.

CPI state Deputy General Secretary C.Mahendran charged that the deputy high commissioner's office in Chennai was engaging in "undesirable activities" and wanted it to be closed down.

Paza Nedumaran, heading the Tamil National Movement, said that Fonseka's comments only went to show that President Rajapakse could not rein him in and that the island was heading for a military rule.