Canada's Liberal Party has pulled Indian-origin MP Chandra Arya's nomination in his Ottawa Nepean constituency and his leadership bid for the party, reportedly over his links with the Indian government, a media report said on Wednesday.
Arya's trip to India in August of last year, during which he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was kept from the government while diplomatic relations between the two countries were tense, The Globe and Mail reported, quoting a source with a top-secret clearance.
The Liberals have not made public the exact reasons why they banned the three-term MP from running in the recent leadership contest or being re-elected in Nepean, the article said.
The report also disclosed that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had informed the government of Arya's "alleged close affiliations with the government of India, including its High Commission in Ottawa." Moreover, according to a Liberal source, party leaders who had been briefed in secret on foreign interference also had issues with Arya.
But sources explained that it was the Liberal Party's decision alone to keep Arya out of leadership and nomination contests and not due to CSIS's recommendation. The second source added that party insiders observing foreign interference detected discrepancies in Arya's confidential questionnaire that further raised questions.
Reacting, Arya brushed aside allegations of being influenced by India.
"As a Member of Parliament, I have met with many diplomats and government leaders, both here and abroad. Not once have I asked – or been asked to ask – permission from the government to do so," he told The Globe and Mail.
He went on to point out that neither former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau nor any cabinet minister had ever questioned his public remarks or meetings.
Arya, a Hindu practitioner, indicated that his ouster was brought about by his open opposition to the Sikh Khalistani movement, which calls for an independent Punjab.
"The only point of disagreement with the Liberal Party has been my vocal representation on matters of concern to Hindu Canadians and my strong opposition to Khalistani extremism," he maintained.
The general election is to be held on April 28.
Arya last week received a letter from the Liberal Party stating that, following "a careful review of your eligibility to stand as a candidate" and taking into account "new information" submitted to the party's "Green Light committee," his Nepean nomination had been rejected.
Diplomatic ties between Canada and India took a further downward turn in September 2023 after then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau implicated India in the assassination of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar—an accusation India categorically denied.
In response to the accusation, India expelled six Canadian diplomats, while Canada reciprocated by expelling six Indian diplomats in October 2024, although Ottawa asserted that it had expelled them.
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