• Fonseka said he was appointed as a Field Marshal as per the election pledges made during the 2015 presidential election while MP Sirisena said the former had begged to be appointed as Field Marshal

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Sarath Fonseka and former President Maithripala Sirisena were engaged in a verbal battle in Parliament yesterday on defence issues and the latter’s appointment as Field Marshal.  

 Accordingly Fonseka said he was appointed as a Field Marshal as per the election pledges made during the 2015 presidential election while MP Sirisena said the former had begged to be appointed as Field Marshal.  

“ I am the one who appointed Fonseka as a Field Marshal and it is sad to see him criticizing me,” MP Sirisena said referring to the remarks made by Fonseka that the country had to suffer as a result of getting people who are hardly aware of defence elected as head of state.  

Fonseka: You appointed me as Field Marshal as per the election pledges made by you during the presidential poll.  

Maithripala : You came behind me crying asking me to appoint you as a Field Marshal. You could not even save the Army headquarters from the LTTE. They caused damages to the headquarters and even caused injuries to you. Such a man is accusing me of failing to stop the Easter Sunday bombs.  

Fonseka : Former President does not understand about security measures that have to be taken. There were peace talks during the time the LTTE attacked the army headquarters. You don’t keep barriers in such a situation.