Pune, August 5:  Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar, speaking at a book launch event in Pune on Saturday, said that the people of Pakistan share a close bond with India. "Whenever I have spoken to common people of Pakistan during my visit there, I have felt that they share a closeness with India," said Pawar.

Commenting on certain people making remarks such as "go to Pakistan", he said that those passing such comments neither understood Pakistan nor India.

"If a youth, belonging to the minority, makes such statements then some people ask him to go to Pakistan. What is Pakistan? There may be differences today but before independence, it was the part of India only. Being the chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), I had to travel to Pakistan multiple times."

"I got the chance to communicate with Pakistan team players multiple times and every time I had experienced that there is a closeness they have about every Indian. They have their brothers - sisters in Uttar Pradesh or other states but just because of the situation between both the countries they are unable to meet each other so easily. And hence those who ask people to go to Pakistan neither know Pakistan nor India (sic)" he added.

Sharad Pawar further said that there is no conflict between the people of both countries, and held the Pakistan government and its army responsible for carrying out anti-India propaganda among the masses. The Maharashtra leader said that the army and government in Pakistan does it to hold on to political power.

Talking on the Maratha reservation agitation, Pawar said that while taking decision on the issue, the government should not touch the existing quota for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The Maratha reservation protests,  have seen at least seven cases of suicide by youth demanding quota in jobs for the Maratha community. Two more people committed suicide on Friday allegedly over Maratha quota issue, even as Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured the community of getting reservation soon.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 05, 2018 11:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).