New Delhi, October 13: Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu has yet again hit a controversy after he compared Pakistani culture to the South Indian States. Sidhu, at an event, said that visiting Pakistan is better than going to the South Indian states due to 'food and language problem'. He also added that he doesn't regret hugging Pakistani Army Chief Qamar Bajwa. BJP Again Slams Navjot Singh Sidhu For Hugging Pakistani Army Chief; Accuses Congress Of Running Parallel Government.

He made this comment while speaking at an event 'Punjab, Punjabis and Punjabiyat' on the first day of Kasauli Literature Festival and said, "When I go to the South Indian States, I could hardly understand anything they were speaking, except some words. The food there is okay, I can have idli but cannot have South Indian foods for a long. But if I go to Pakistan, everything is same they also speak Punjabi and I can relate more to them."

While speaking on hugging Pakistani Army Chief Qamar Bajwa, Sidhu said that it was a spontaneous reaction after he told me that Pakistan will open border gates for Sikhs to visit Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan.

While reacting on the hugging row, the Congress leader said that if Pakistan opens Kartarpur border for Sikhs "leave jhappi (hug), I would give him a pappi" (Leave aside hug, I would love to give him a kiss). "Punjab is no longer the same state it used to be. It was made of five rivers, of which two went to Pakistan after partition," he further replied.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 13, 2018 04:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).