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Canada's Liberal Party revokes Chandra Arya's candidature over ‘India links’: Report
According to a report, Chandra Arya reportedly did not inform the Canadian government about his trip to India last August.
Canada's Liberal Party has revoked Indian-origin Chandra Arya's bid to run for the party leadership and the nomination in his own Ottawa Nepean constituency over his alleged ties to the Indian government, PTI quoted a local media report.
According to the Globe and Mail report, Arya visited India last August and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He reportedly did not inform the Canadian government about his trip amid strain in diplomatic ties between the two countries.
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The Canadian daily said that the Liberal Party has not revealed why the three-term MP has been barred from the leadership race or from running again in Nepean constituency.
Globe and Mail reported that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) briefed the government about Arya’s "alleged close ties to the government of India, including its High Commission in Ottawa".
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Liberal Party officials who have security clearances and received a general CSIS briefing on foreign interference also had concerns about Arya.
The decisions to remove Arya as a candidate for the leadership and Nepean nomination were solely made by the Liberal Party and were not on the advice of CSIS, the report added.
Party officials, in charge of monitoring foreign meddling, found troubling inconsistencies in information that Arya had put in a confidential questionnaire, the report added, citing another source.
Indian-origin MP rejects ‘India link’ charge
Arya rejected allegations against him, saying,“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. At no point did former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or any cabinet minister raise concerns about my meetings or public statements," PTI quoted him as saying in a statement to The Globe.
Arya, who is of the Hindu faith, said he believes he was removed from the leadership and Nepean nomination because he’s spoken out against the Sikh Khalistani movement in Canada that promotes a separate state in Punjab.
“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 said in the statement.
The voting for the general election will take place on April 28.
(With PTI inputs)
