LONDON: British minister Nadim Zahavi on Sunday urged an inquiry into the claims of a fellow Conservative MP that he lost his ministerial role because of his Muslim faith, adding further pressure to the government.
Nusrat Ghani, 49, was sacked as transport minister in 2020, and told the Sunday Times that a whip said her Muslim faith was raised as an issue at a meeting in Downing Street. She was also told that "Muslim woman was making minister status. Colleagues feel uncomfortable", she claimed.
Chief Whip Mark Spencer, whose role is to keep lawmakers on board with the government's agenda, took the unusual step of identifying himself as the person at the center of the claims, and denied the allegations. "These allegations are completely false and I consider them defamatory," he wrote on Twitter.
He said, "I have never used words that are attributed to me. It is disappointing that when the issue was raised with Ghani, he refused to refer the matter to the Conservative Party for formal investigation." "
Government whips are currently in the limelight after Tory MP William Ragg accused him of "blackmailing" critics of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in order to prevent them from trying to oust him.
Johnson's office said the prime minister was aware of the claims at the time, and had invited him to make a formal complaint. A Downing Street spokesperson said: "After being made aware of these extremely serious claims, the Prime Minister met and discussed with Nusrat Ghani." "Then he expressed his serious concern and invited him to initiate a formal grievance process. He did not do so afterwards. The Conservative Party does not tolerate prejudice or discrimination of any kind." Ghani, the influential 1922 vice president The committee of Tory backbenchers told the newspaper that "it was like getting punched in the stomach. I felt humiliated and powerless." She said she kept quiet for fear of being "outcasted by coworkers". Vaccine Minister Jahavi has demanded an investigation. "There is no place for Islamophobia or racism of any kind in our @Conservatives party," he tweeted.
"It needs to be properly investigated and racism rooted out." Justice Minister Dominic Raab called it a "very serious claim", but told the BBC's "Sunday Morning" that it would only happen if Ghani made a formal complaint. An investigation will likely take place.