Fact Check: Chandra Arya spoke in Kannada after filing nomination for Canadian PM post? No, viral video is from 2022

Hyderabad: Following Justin Trudeau’s resignation as the prime minister of Canada, several prominent leaders have entered the race to succeed him. Among them is Indian-origin Kannadiga Chandra Arya, who officially filed his nomination for the post on January 9.

In this context, several media reports, particularly in Kannada, along with social media posts, are sharing a video of Chandra Arya speaking in Kannada. The reports claim that Arya delivered his remarks in Kannada at the event after he filed his nomination for the post of Canada’s PM.

Arya is heard saying in the video, “I am delighted to have had the opportunity to speak in my mother tongue, Kannada, in the Canadian Parliament. It is a moment of pride for approximately five crores of Kannadigas that a person from Sira Taluk in the Tumakuru district of Karnataka, India, has been elected as a Member of Parliament in Canada and has spoken in Kannada. The Kannada community in Canada celebrated Kannada Rajyotsava in this very Parliament in 2018. Concluding my speech, I recite the lines written by our national poet Kuvempu and the legendary actor Dr Rajkumar: Elladaru iru entadaru iru, endendigu nee Kannadavagiru (Wherever you are, however, you are, always remain a Kannadiga). Kannada is truth; Kannada is eternal.”

On January 17, the media outlet NewsFirst Live reported that Chandra Arya filed his nomination while speaking in Kannada. Another prominent media organisation from Karnataka, Kannada Prabha, stated that Arya made headlines for speaking Kannada while filing his nomination for the Canadian PM post. (Archive) (Archive)

A premium X handle, Indian Tech & Infra, shared the video and wrote, “Canadian MP Chandra Arya officially enters the race to become Canada’s next Prime Minister and speaks in Kannada after filing his nomination.” (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The video is from 2022 when Chandra Arya delivered a speech in Kannada at the Canadian Parliament.

We conducted a keyword search but did not find any videos or media reports of Arya speaking in Kannada while filing or after filing the nomination for the prime minister post.

Upon a reverse image search, we found the viral video published by NDTV on January 13, 2025, titled ‘Chandra Arya’s Old Parliament Speech In Kannada As Trudeau Loyalist MP Enters Race For Top Post.’ We also found the video published by Hindustan Times on May 20, 2022, titled ‘India-born MP Chandra Arya's Kannada speech in Canadian Parliament stuns netizens.’

The channel, at that time, reported that Arya, who represents the electoral district of Nepean, Ontario, in the House of Commons, the lower house of Canada, had delivered a speech in his mother tongue, Kannada. During the speech, he mentioned that it was the first time Kannada was spoken in any Parliament outside India. Netizens, including politicians, lauded Arya after the video of his speech at the Canadian Parliament went viral.

We also found the video posted by Arya from his official X account on May 20, 2022. “I spoke in my mother tongue (first language) Kannada in the Canadian parliament. This beautiful language has a long history and is spoken by about 50 million people. This is the first time Kannada is spoken in any parliament in the world outside of India,” read the post.

We also came across reports by The Times of India, Business Today and Hindustan Times from 2022, reporting Arya’s speech made in Kannada as an MP in the Canadian Parliament, earning him praise for his love towards his native language.

Therefore, we conclude that the viral video of Chandra Arya speaking in Kannada is from 2022 and was not after filing his nomination for the Canadian PM’s post in 2025.