"We believe Fiji First, in an act of desperation, is resorting to gutter level campaign and mudslinging to win votes. This will not work":
"During Radio Fiji talkback show Aaina, the show’s host Veena Bhatnagar and Fiji First General Secretary Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum accused prominent NFP candidate Bala Dass of an anti Muslim campaign. As a guest on the show I insisted the NFP has always conducted a clean and issues based campaign for these elections and that both Mrs Bhatnagar and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum must provide evidence to prove that Mr Dass conducted a racial campaign against our Muslim community. On the programme itself, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said Bala Dass remarked Fiji was run by Muslims. He said the comment was made at the Mariamman temple in Savusavu, Nadi last week. The Savusavu meeting was held at the Shiva temple and not Mariamman temple as claimed by Mr Sayed-Khaiyum. One of those present at the party’s meeting in Savusavu was Mr Faizal Koya. I have spoken to both Mr Dass and My Koya and both have challenged Mrs Bhatnagar and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum to provide proof to back their accusation. In the absence of such proof, I support Mr Dass’s decision to take legal action against Mr Sayed-Khaiyum, Mrs Bhatnagar and Fiji Broadcasting Corporation because we regard the allegation as defamatory." - NFP leader Biman Prasad |  "Last week, the Fiji First general secretary made similar allegations against NFP supporters in Ba saying they had threatened taxi drivers driving taxis with Fiji First stickers to remove them or else their fate would be worse than what happened in the year 2000. When told by the NFP to report the matter to police should he have evidence, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum kept quiet." |
Fijileaks Editor: Listen to the Aina Debate, our vote goes to Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum on question of equal citizenry; speaking in Fiji Hindi he outwitted Prasad who chose to impart his points in foreign Indian Hindi - lost in expression
August 7, 2014
MEDIA RELEASE
No place for racial and religious intolerance
The National Federation Party refers to comments made by deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase during SODELPA’s campaign meetings, emphasizing on recognition of Christian values, recognizing Christianity as the predominant religion of our nation, dismissing Fiji as a secular state, and linking numbers on the ballot paper to the Holy Quran.
We regard Mr Qarase’s comments as reprehensible and the NFP condemns this in the strongest terms.
Mr Qarase is fanning the flames of racial and religious hatred. This is racial bigotry. He thinks that those following Christianity (especially our i-Taukei) people can never be equal to others. He is therefore saying that those following or practicing other religious beliefs are subservient. This is preposterous and an insult to each and every citizen of our beloved nation.
Mr Qarase is re-opening old wounds and his comments are reminiscent of those dark days following the military coups of 1987 when racial and religious intolerance culminated into the Sunday Ban and worse still, led to arson attacks on two temples, a mosque and the complete destruction of the Sikh temple in Lautoka in October 1989.
This scenario must never be allowed to be repeated and as one who led this country for over 6 years as Prime Minister, Mr Qarase should be the last person advocating religious supremacy in an effort to get votes for his party because short term benefits based on mudslinging, gutter politics and racism can be very painful as experienced in the past 27 years.
In a multiracial, multicultural and multi-religious country like Fiji, our politicians and those seeking the mandate of the people to assume leadership of a democracy must moderate their positions.
It is an absolute necessity that the peaceful co-existence of all our communities, especially the i-Taukei and Indo-Fijian communities, is not shattered by racial utterances or remarks.
As a party born out of the struggle for dignity and justice of our ordinary people, we will not tolerate any racist remark or attack on any community in our nation.
Secondly, on Tuesday during Radio Fiji talkback show Aaina, the show’s host Veena Bhatnagar and Fiji First General Secretary Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum accused prominent NFP candidate Bala Dass of an anti Muslim campaign.
As a guest on the show I insisted the NFP has always conducted a clean and issues based campaign for these elections and that both Mrs Bhatnagar and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum must provide evidence to prove that Mr Dass conducted a racial campaign against our Muslim community.
On the programme itself, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said Bala Dass remarked Fiji was run by Muslims. He said the comment was made at the Mariamman temple in Savusavu, Nadi last week.
The Savusavu meeting was held at the Shiva temple and not Mariamman temple as claimed by Mr Sayed-Khaiyum.
One of those present at the party’s meeting in Savusavu was Mr Faizal Koya. I have spoken to both Mr Dass and My Koya and both have challenged Mrs Bhatnagar and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum to provide proof to back their accusation.
In the absence of such proof, I support Mr Dass’s decision to take legal action against Mr Sayed-Khaiyum, Mrs Bhatnagar and Fiji Broadcasting Corporation because we regard the allegation as defamatory.
Last week, the Fiji First general secretary made similar allegations against NFP supporters in Ba saying they had threatened taxi drivers driving taxis with Fiji First stickers to remove them or else their fate would be worse than what happened in the year 2000.
When told by the NFP to report the matter to police should he have evidence, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum kept quiet.
We believe Fiji First, in an act of desperation, is resorting to gutter level campaign and mudslinging to win votes. This will not work.
Such bigoted and supremacist campaigns have surfaced after every coup in Fiji and have worsened polarization in our society. The coup makers must also take responsibility for this.
Biman Prasad
NFP Leader
