Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka said yesterday President Maithripala Sirisena was ‘playing to the gallery for votes’.

“If a politician says he will not allow to punish wrongdoers he is speaking to the gallery for votes,” Fonseka said.

Fonseka was referring to an assurance made by President Sirisena that no foreign party would be allowed to lay hands on former Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya or any other war hero.

Field Marshall Fonseka last week said he was prepared to testify that atrocities were committed while Jagath Jayasuriya was Army Commander.