Even with the scandal of the stray dog, the Animal Rights Activist Sonya Ghosh, and Guyana’s disgraced High Commissioner to India still simmering on the fires at home, Charrandas Persaud refused to go quietly. Persaud of the infamous “Yes” vote fame on the No Confidence Motion of 2018 which toppled the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change led government of which he was a part, Persaud has become a divisive figure in Guyanese society.
It was widely believed the High Commissioner had already left his India appointment after being recalled, but he appeared in a video post on his Facebook page at a farewell gathering, in what appears to be the High Commissioner’s residence in India. “I would like to offer an apology for my people, but as Charrandas Persaud an individual, I strongly stand up equal to any woman. If you wanna fight, you wanna curse, you wanna dance, I am ready,” the former High Commissioner told those in attendance.
Indian National Sonya Ghosh had expletives hurled at her by Persaud after she enquired at his residence about a stray dog she fed in the area. Some of the exchange was captured on video and went viral on social media, only then did the matter which had occurred a year earlier surface. Ghosh alleged in a police report she was sexually harassed” by Persaud and her “modesty was outraged & insulted” in August 2021, contrary to the law.
Charrandas Persaud admitted as much in his farewell address: “I have had on the 1st of August last year, an altercation. There’s a lady named Sonya Ghosh. She has some license, some court order to feed and take care of stray dogs in this area. They were like sixty stray dogs. One always come, came into my yard. And at night it will wake me up, tumble my bin out. But I don’t have anything against dogs, but I have a hell of a lot against dogs making a mess in my yard.” Persaud told staff to take the dog far away and they did so after which Ghosh enquired about the animal.
“I’m telling you this because it is the reason, this all contributed to the reason why I’m leaving India on such short notice, or after such a short time. The lady came to the security and asked about the dog. The security said we took the dog away. She came the next day and the security opened the gate to come in and get me. This lady barged in behind the security right up to my door and banged on the door. Security finally got her back out of the yard and I came out. When I came out, I asked her what she was doing in my yard. She said she’s here looking for a dog. This was the 1st of August, 2021. I said, I don’t have a dog in here and you would not believe, I was surprised at the expletives she handed me, the F and the S, and you are such a so-and-so dog,” the former High Commissioner recounted.
Persaud said he responded in kind. “I believe women, all of you women here, would love to be deemed equal to men. You have equal facilities and everything. Well, if you’re in a fight and you pick a fight with a man, he should say, no, you’re a woman I’m not gonna fight with you. You want equality, let’s go to fight and see what happens. My friends, my colleagues, I did what I did out of anger, and I’ll say this now, I have to, because as High Commissioner, I represent a nation. I represent a people,” he stated.
