Nusrat Ghani told The Sunday Times she asked a party whip about the decision and was told her religion was discussed at a Downing Street meeting.
The former transport minister also said she was told there were concerns she was not doing enough to defend the Tories against allegations of Islamaphobia.
It comes as the conduct of whips is under intense scrutiny over accusations of intimidation and blackmail.
Ms Ghani said she spoke to party whips after losing her ministerial role in February 2020 and “asked what the thinking was behind the decision to fire me and what the mood music was when my name was mentioned in No 10 concerning the reshuffle”.
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