<p>Maharashtra Forest Minister Sanjay Rathod, who was not seen in public after his name was linked to the death of a woman in Pune, visited a temple in Washim district on Tuesday and later dismissed the allegations against him.</p>.<p>Talking to reporters after visiting the Pohradevi Temple in Washim, Rathod claimed, "dirty politics" was being played following the woman's "unfortunate" death.</p>.<p>The Shiv Sena leader also expressed confidence that truth will come out following a probe into the matter.</p>.<p>The opposition BJP in the state, however, demanded the removal of Rathod as a minister and a comprehensive probe into the woman's death.</p>.<p>The 23-year-old woman died after falling from a building in the Hadapsar area of Pune on February 8.</p>.<p>Some social media posts and the BJP earlier alleged that Rathod was connected to the death of the woman.</p>.<p>On Tuesday, the minister travelled by road from his residence in Yavatmal to the Pohradevi Temple in neighbouring Washim, where he sought blessings and took part in rituals.</p>.<p>A large number of Rathod's supporters thronged the venue, in apparent violation of the social distancing norms.</p>.<p>Later, in a brief interaction with media, Rathod said he and the Banjara community, to which belong, are pained by the woman's death and share her family's grief.</p>.<p>The minister said his family and the community should not be defamed by latching on to the incident.</p>.<p>"The death of Puja Chavan, who belonged to our community, in Pune was unfortunate. The entire community is pained by death. I and our entire community is part of the Chavan family's grief," Rathod said.</p>.<p>But, the kind of politics that is being played following the incident is wrong and baseless, he said.</p>.<p>"I can tell you that there is no substance in what is being said in the media and on social media," said Rathod, who is also the guardian minister of Yavatmal.</p>.<p>He said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered a probe into the matter and the police are doing their job.</p>.<p>"...I request you not to defame me, my family and my community. Let's wait for the probe found," he said.</p>.<p>When a journalist asked about him allegedly disappearing for two weeks, Rathod said he was not in the public eye for 10 days, but continued to work.</p>.<p>"I was seeing the love of you (media) all on TV. I have old parents, my wife who has blood pressure issues and children. Over the past 10 days, I took care of them when this love came my way. My government work was on, I did not stop doing that," he said.</p>.<p>On the images of him and the woman doing rounds on social media, Rathod said his community loves him and several people get themselves photographed with him.</p>.<p>"I have been working in the social sector for 30 years. Don't put me in the wrong box just because of one incident," he added.</p>.<p>The minister said following his visit to the temple, he will resume work as earlier.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP vice president Chitra Wagh alleged that Rathod was responsible for the woman's death.</p>.<p>"The chief minister should immediately remove Rathod from his post and order a thorough probe into the case. It was disgusting to see Sanjay Rathod trying to hide behind his community," she told reporters in Mumbai.</p>.<p>Wagh alleged that Rathod and his supporters violated Covid-19 prevention norms at the temple.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray should take action against him, she said.</p>.<p>Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Praveen Darekar said, "The way Rathod organised a huge gathering at the temple in Washim is condemnable. We will raise the issue in the Assembly as well."</p>
<p>Maharashtra Forest Minister Sanjay Rathod, who was not seen in public after his name was linked to the death of a woman in Pune, visited a temple in Washim district on Tuesday and later dismissed the allegations against him.</p>.<p>Talking to reporters after visiting the Pohradevi Temple in Washim, Rathod claimed, "dirty politics" was being played following the woman's "unfortunate" death.</p>.<p>The Shiv Sena leader also expressed confidence that truth will come out following a probe into the matter.</p>.<p>The opposition BJP in the state, however, demanded the removal of Rathod as a minister and a comprehensive probe into the woman's death.</p>.<p>The 23-year-old woman died after falling from a building in the Hadapsar area of Pune on February 8.</p>.<p>Some social media posts and the BJP earlier alleged that Rathod was connected to the death of the woman.</p>.<p>On Tuesday, the minister travelled by road from his residence in Yavatmal to the Pohradevi Temple in neighbouring Washim, where he sought blessings and took part in rituals.</p>.<p>A large number of Rathod's supporters thronged the venue, in apparent violation of the social distancing norms.</p>.<p>Later, in a brief interaction with media, Rathod said he and the Banjara community, to which belong, are pained by the woman's death and share her family's grief.</p>.<p>The minister said his family and the community should not be defamed by latching on to the incident.</p>.<p>"The death of Puja Chavan, who belonged to our community, in Pune was unfortunate. The entire community is pained by death. I and our entire community is part of the Chavan family's grief," Rathod said.</p>.<p>But, the kind of politics that is being played following the incident is wrong and baseless, he said.</p>.<p>"I can tell you that there is no substance in what is being said in the media and on social media," said Rathod, who is also the guardian minister of Yavatmal.</p>.<p>He said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered a probe into the matter and the police are doing their job.</p>.<p>"...I request you not to defame me, my family and my community. Let's wait for the probe found," he said.</p>.<p>When a journalist asked about him allegedly disappearing for two weeks, Rathod said he was not in the public eye for 10 days, but continued to work.</p>.<p>"I was seeing the love of you (media) all on TV. I have old parents, my wife who has blood pressure issues and children. Over the past 10 days, I took care of them when this love came my way. My government work was on, I did not stop doing that," he said.</p>.<p>On the images of him and the woman doing rounds on social media, Rathod said his community loves him and several people get themselves photographed with him.</p>.<p>"I have been working in the social sector for 30 years. Don't put me in the wrong box just because of one incident," he added.</p>.<p>The minister said following his visit to the temple, he will resume work as earlier.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP vice president Chitra Wagh alleged that Rathod was responsible for the woman's death.</p>.<p>"The chief minister should immediately remove Rathod from his post and order a thorough probe into the case. It was disgusting to see Sanjay Rathod trying to hide behind his community," she told reporters in Mumbai.</p>.<p>Wagh alleged that Rathod and his supporters violated Covid-19 prevention norms at the temple.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray should take action against him, she said.</p>.<p>Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Praveen Darekar said, "The way Rathod organised a huge gathering at the temple in Washim is condemnable. We will raise the issue in the Assembly as well."</p>