Opposition MP Virendra Lal has warned that Fiji’s social cohesion remains fragile despite strong signs of inter-communal trust, issuing a call for political restraint as the country moves closer to a general election. Lal was speaking in response to a ministerial statement by Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran on the 2025 SCORE Index Assessment, which he said exposed both strengths and vulnerabilities within Fijian society.
“This study confirms what many of us feel in our hearts, that the spirit of unity and harmony is already woven into the daily lives of our people,” Lal told parliament, highlighting figures from the assessment showing more than 80 percent of iTaukei and over 90 percent of Indo-Fijians demonstrate trust and acceptance towards each other. He described those results as a “true reflection of Fiji’s social fabric,” and pointed to strong public backing for inclusive, multi-ethnic governance over narrow, group-based interests.
But Lal warned against complacency. “While the majority of our people are walking the path of togetherness, there are still those who seek to pull us apart,” he said, urging authorities and political leaders to confront extremist influences and divisive narratives before they harden into violence or hate. He flagged recent sacrilegious attacks on places of worship — temples being broken into and damaged — as a worrying signal that tolerance cannot be taken for granted.
Lal’s remarks come against a backdrop of similar concerns earlier raised by government figures. In August 2025, acting Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica publicly condemned an attack on the Shree Baba Ragho Dass Vishnu Temple in Sawani, Nausori, calling the act an assault on Fiji’s multicultural identity. Lal cited such incidents to argue that even isolated acts of religiously targeted vandalism require firm law enforcement and strong political rebukes to prevent escalation.
The Opposition MP also drew attention to persistent stereotypes and negative narratives identified in the SCORE assessment, saying these undercurrents could create division if left unaddressed. He placed responsibility squarely on leaders across the political spectrum to set a tone of unity. “We must all, regardless of which side of this House we sit on, raise the banner of national unity and firmly rebuke those few who will try to ignite divisional politics,” Lal said.
As the election looms, Lal framed social cohesion as a prerequisite for long-term peace, stability and inclusive development. He urged a focus on policies and political rhetoric that reinforce inter-communal trust, warning that failure to protect social harmony would undermine national progress. “By standing together, we ensure that the true winner of the upcoming election is the long-term peace and unity of all Fijians,” he said.
The ministerial statement that prompted Lal’s response detailed findings from the 2025 SCORE Index Assessment; Kiran’s presentation had emphasised the survey’s mixed picture of widespread everyday unity alongside pockets of vulnerability. Lal’s intervention is the latest call from parliamentarians and senior officials for vigilance against extremist influences and for concrete steps to safeguard Fiji’s multi-ethnic social compact.