PM Modi, Sharad Pawar share old bond, meeting shouldn't be viewed from political perspective: says Sanjay Raut

Stating that the recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar had no political links, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday asserted that the two leaders share an old bond and the meeting shouldn't be viewed from a political perspective.

Speaking to ANI, Sanjay Raut said, "If Pawar has met the Prime Minister, then there is no need to be surprised. Pawar sahib and Modi Ji share an old bond and they always consult each other. I saw in the photos that Pawar sahib had taken a file along with him, it might be related to agriculture or co-operation."

"When I will meet Pawar sahib, I will talk to him, I don't think there is any politics in it," he added.

This came after Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Pawar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

The meeting came two days before the monsoon session of Parliament beginning July 19.

Lashing out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for blaming Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) ideology for the talks stalled with India, Raut said, "If RSS has an ideology, then what? What is wrong with that ideology. They have kept our Kashmir (PoK) in their possession, which they call Azad Kashmir, but it belongs to India. If ever there will be any dialogue, it will start from there. It is not an ideology of an organisation, it is the spirit of our country, it is the ideology of 125 crore people."

Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Imran Khan evaded questions on Pakistan's role concerning the Taliban's actions in Afghanistan and sought to put blame on "RSS ideology" for the talks stalled with India amid concerns over its support to cross-border terrorism.

( With inputs from ANI )