Male Bullies Attack Brave Damodar

In an exchange of words that has caught the attention of many, Riddhi Damodar, a political candidate, responded with poise and grace to a shocking attack from Sumit Chand, the husband of Elaine Chandra, a former FijiFirst candidate who did not garner enough votes to get into Parliament, and an employee of Uprising Beach Resort in Pacific harbour.

The online spat began out of nowhere when Sumit Chand, in a comment, harshly criticised Damodar's political stance. In his comment, he stated, “If people like you run for candidates, then obviously we wouldn’t vote for you...”

Ms. Damodar, not one to shy away from conflict, quickly replied, “I am not surprised. Aren’t you the husband of a fellow woman candidate with me who stood from FijiFirst in 2022? Doesn’t she preach woman supporting woman? Woman empowerment? You can support your wife without hating me. There are 55 seats in parliament, and we are from the same side. I will always choose kindness over hate.”

Chand continued his unwarranted attack, saying, “Keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better. But let’s be real; we all know exactly where you stand and what your level is. I have no interest in fence jumpers or those who shift sides when it suits them. I stand firm in my beliefs, and I won’t pretend otherwise to please anyone.”

To this, Damodar shot back: “Beneath me. Remember. I was chosen as a candidate by the same party on merit, so what’s your calibre to judge those leaders and their decision to choose me as a candidate? Unless you think you are above them. If you think I care what the husband of another candidate of the party thinks of me?? Come on. You're delusional. The more you speak, the more you are exposing yourself and showing your personal bias and prejudice. So keep up. You are helping me. I will continue to lead with grace.”

Shortly after, a fake account by the name of James Adkins echoed a similar attack as Chand, this time calling Ms Damodar a "whore" behind the safety of a fake account.

The attacks have been labelled as Shameful, petty and unbecoming.

FEMLINK Pacific has previously raised concern about this type of behaviour online, stating: "Bullying and harassment are persistent barriers to women's involvement in politics. As an organisation, we continue to advocate for better representation and protection for women, ensuring that they have equal opportunities to lead."

Fiji Women's Rights Movement (FWRM) have also said: "Women face significant challenges in politics due to bullying and harassment. It's crucial for reforms to ensure that women have a safe and supportive environment to engage in political processes."

Members of the public have praised Ms. Damodar, a strong political and public figure, caring mother, and successful businesswoman, for standing her ground.

However, there are a lot of questions for the new FijianFirst leadership once they identify themselves. Why are members and their husbands attacking each other?

Meanwhile, viewers have sent us screenshots of Ms. Chandra posting highly inflammatory content on her Facebook page. Concerningly, some of these attacks include using the words "defective sperm" and even extend to children of people she doesn't like.

These inflammatory statements have viewers concerned about how such a figure can ever be trusted for national leadership.

We have sent questions to the Online Safety Commission regarding her online behaviour and are awaiting their response.

The situation is being closely monitored as this behaviour could set a dangerous precedent for political discourse online.