MUMBAI: A day after tribal development minister Vishnu Savara’s alleged statement over malnutrition deaths in Palghar, pressure is mounting on chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to sack him. According to reports, when 66-year-old Savara was informed that hundreds of tribal children have died of malnutrition in the recent past, he said “let it be”. Savara has denied the remarks.Savara reportedly made the statement during his visit to Kalambwadi village in Palghar district on Thursday where one-year-old Sagar Wagh had died of malnutrition a fortnight ago. Shramjivi Sanghatana activists strongly protested his delayed visit while informing him that 600 malnutrition-related deaths of children had taken place in Palghar recently.In the fornight since Sagar’s demise on August 30, three more deaths were reported in the region.Denying the remarks on Friday, Savara said, “I am a born tribal. I am aware of their grievances. I never said let them die, the statement has been put in my mouth,” Savara said.Opposition leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, state NCP president Sunil Tatkare and Shramjivi Sanghata founder Vivek Pandit have demanded Savara’s immediate dismissal. "If the CM is sensitive, he must sack Savara," they said.Vikhe Patil said, "Palghar belongs to Savara. He has been representing the assembly constituency since 1990. Despite that, no steps have been taken to tackle malnutrition. Since the Fadnavis government has failed to halt malnutrition, governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao has stepped in and has given stringent directives."