Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam [ Images ] chief Vaiko and his supporters on Monday sat on a day-long fast to protest against the visit of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse [ Images ].

Rajapakse is seeking naval assistance from India [ Images ] to curb the influx of arms into the island nation.

Besides Vaiko, MDMK MPs S Ganesh and N Ramachandran and other party leaders also took part in the hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi [ Images ] demanding that India reject any Lankan proposal for defence assistance.

"The Sri Lanka [ Images ]n President is cunningly trying to make a trap to get India's naval assistance for their military offensive [against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]. India should totally reject such a proposal if it is placed by Sri Lanka," Vaiko said, addressing his supporters.

In a memorandum to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee [ Images ], he said India should make efforts to prevail on the Sri Lankan government to open Highway A-9 to remove an economic blockade and military attacks against Tamils.

Former Jammu and Kashmir [ Images ] Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah [ Images ] and Akali Dal leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa visited Vaiko to express solidarity with his cause.