The Ontario Liberal Party has suspended Viresh Bansal, its candidate in Oshawa, following backlash over an inflammatory social media post.
The decision came after several Liberal candidates urged party leader Bonnie Crombie to remove Bansal from the race.
The controversy stems from a 2023 response Bansal posted to an NDP statement regarding the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The statement followed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claim that Canada had “credible allegations” linking Indian government agents to Nijjar’s fatal shooting in British Columbia.
Bansal’s post, which resurfaced after being highlighted by Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives, included offensive remarks referencing both the Sikh and LGBTQ2S+ communities.
After the World Sikh Organization of Canada called for his removal, Bansal issued an apology.
“I want to sincerely apologize, especially to the Sikh and LGBTQ2S+ communities,” he wrote on social media. “My words were offensive and wrong, and I take full responsibility for the harm they caused.”
Despite condemning Bansal’s remarks, Crombie initially stopped short of removing him, stating:
“He managed to offend two beloved groups in one tweet, and this is completely unacceptable. It is not who I am. I don’t stand for this. It is not who the Ontario Liberal Party is.”
However, calls for Bansal’s removal continued to grow within the party. Vicky Dhillon, the Liberal candidate for Brampton East, voiced strong opposition to his continued candidacy.
“I have spoken with many Ontarians and residents in Brampton East who are disgusted by Bansal’s rhetoric and actions,” Dhillon stated. “His apology is simply not enough and does not repair the hurt that he has caused.”
Jawad Haroon, the Liberal candidate in Mississauga-Malton, also condemned Bansal’s comments.
“Since his history of despicable comments has come to light, I have repeatedly heard from residents of Mississauga-Malton who have expressed anger and disgust at his hateful remarks about members of our community,” Haroon wrote.
Following mounting pressure, the Ontario Liberal Party moved to suspend Bansal, though the party has not provided further details on the decision.