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Canadian MP Chandra Arya was barred from contesting party leadership over alleged India ties, which he refutes as political bias.
Indian-origin Canadian MP Chandra Arya has been barred from contesting for the leadership of his party and from running in his own Ottawa Nepean constituency over alleged ties with the Indian government, a media report claimed.
According to a report by The Globe and Mail, the Liberal Party revoked Arya’s bid for the leadership and his nomination after receiving concerns from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) regarding his “alleged close ties to the government of India, including its High Commission in Ottawa.”
Arya, who had visited India in August 2023 and met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had reportedly not informed the Canadian government about the trip, despite strained relations between the two countries. Bilateral ties have remained tense since former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of being involved in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in September 2023, an allegation denied by New Delhi.
Responding to the report, Arya strongly refuted the allegations that he had been influenced by India, asserting that his engagements with diplomats and global leaders had always been part of his parliamentary duties.
“As a Member of Parliament, I have engaged with numerous diplomats and heads of government, both in Canada and internationally. Not once have I sought, nor been required to seek permission from the government to do so,” Arya said in a statement to The Globe and Mail.
Today the Globe and Mail published an article on the Liberal Party revoking my candidacy to contest in the forthcoming election.
My statement issued to the newspaper:
“As a Member of Parliament, I have engaged with numerous diplomats and heads of government, both in Canada and… pic.twitter.com/WrXuHcvDrj
He further stated that neither Trudeau nor any of his cabinet ministers had ever raised concerns regarding his meetings or public statements. Arya, a practicing Hindu, suggested that his removal from the leadership race and the party nomination was linked to his outspoken stance against Khalistani extremism in Canada.
“The sole point of contention with the Liberal Party has been my outspoken advocacy on issues important to Hindu Canadians and my firm stance against Khalistani extremism,” he asserted.
The controversy comes at a crucial time, as Canada is set to hold its general election on April 28. The Liberal Party has not officially commented on Arya’s removal, but the development adds to the ongoing tensions surrounding India-Canada relations.
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