Nov 29, Colombo: Convener of Sri Lanka Freedom Party - Peoples' faction (SLFP-M) and parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera came under fire from the government in Parliament yesterday for his critical comment made against Army Commander Sarath Fonseka at a recent news conference.

UPFA General Secretary and Education Minister Susil Premajayantha made a special statement to the House, following a special direction from President Mahinda Rajapaksa and expressed the government’s regret about the statement against the Army Chief.

“The Army Commander, who successfully led the security forces to a series of victories on the war front and under his command the military recently captured Pooneryn,” he told Parliament questioning “how a Sri Lankan could criticize the Army Commander in such a context.” Samaraweera has reportedly said that Lt. Gen. Fonseka was not fit even to be the commander of the Salvation Army.

Political as well as defence analysts criticize the dissident MP saying that his disparaging remarks on the armed forces and their operations have become a boon to the pro LTTE Tamil media.