Raj will respect the process undertaken by the FijiFirst

The Director of the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, Ashwin Raj says the Commission will respect the process undertaken by the FijiFirst relating to the allegations of sexual harassment made against a government minister.

Raj says the Commission is aware of the disciplinary mechanisms that are available under the FijiFirst Party’s Constitution and notes, as per the interview by the FijiFirst Secretary-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum that this mechanism will now be exhausted consistent with Section 63 subsection 1 (i) of the Fijian Constitution.

He says as a principle, the Commission condemns all acts of sexual harassment regardless of the status of the perpetrator. Section 63 subsection 1 (i) of the constitution states that the seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant if the member is expelled from the political party for which he or she was a candidate at the time he or she was elected to Parliament and the expulsion was in accordance with the rules of the political party relating to party discipline.

Lands Minister, Ashneel Sudhakar has been asked to resign as a Member of Parliament in relation to allegations of sexual harassment, however he does not want to take that step so the FijiFirst will conduct a disciplinary hearing against him.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has confirmed to Fijivillage that the party received some complaints, a statutory declaration and also received other allegations against Sudhakar.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the allegations are extremely serious and will not be condoned as the FijiFirst has a good track record in terms of women’s empowerment and also focuses on ensuring that it creates a good working environment for women working as professionals.

He says the disciplinary hearing process will commence in the next few days.

Sayed-Khaiyum says it would have been in the best interest of the Minister and the party, for the Minister to resign as the allegations are very serious.

When contacted by Fijivillage, Ashneel Sudhakar maintained that he has done nothing wrong and will face the party’s disciplinary hearing.

Sudhakar says all the allegations in the social media about him are false and he never facebook messaged any woman saying he wanted her to go out for drinks, to get picked up by a government vehicle and that he is a Minister and riding with him would get her far ahead and life is short, she should break the rules sometimes.

He also claims it is a set up as he has been investigating some files in the Lands Ministry.