Ottawa

Canada's three-term Liberal Member of Parliament Chandra Arya, who has been barred from contesting in the forthcoming elections under the party's banner in his own Ottawa Nepean constituency over alleged foreign-interference concerns involving India, believes he has been denied nomination this time for speaking out against the Khalistani extremist movement in the country.

The Indian origin MP of Hindu faith has been a vocal critic of highly unpopular former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for giving refuge to pro-Khalistani elements in the country.

"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. 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," said Arya while reacting to a media report on the Liberal Party revoking his candidacy to contest in the forthcoming election.

Citing sources, a report in Canada's leading daily The Globe and Mail, mentioned that Arya, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi last August, had not informed the government of that trip even though bilateral relations of Canada with India are in a deep freeze.

The Liberals have not disclosed why they barred Arya from the party's recent leadership race or from seeking re-election in the Ottawa riding of Nepean constituency.

Citing another Liberal Party source, the newspaper reported that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service had briefed the government about Arya's alleged close ties to the government of India, including its High Commission in Ottawa. Liberal Party officials who have security clearances and had received a general CSIS briefing on foreign interference had concerns about Arya, it mentioned further.

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In December, Arya informed the House of Commons that he was threatened by fellow Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal on his way out of the Commons chamber for refusing to consent on a motion in the house to condemn the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India as "genocide". While another unnamed MP "aggressively accosted" him in the government lobby.

"As a Member of Parliament, I should be able to express my opinion, my views, freely in the House and I should not [feel] threatened by any words or actions of my fellow members," he said at the time.