Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said India neither troubles others nor does it spare those who trouble the country.
India never favoured war and violence but it cannot remain neutral to injustice and oppression, Singh said.
"We all believe that India is a country which had always been peace loving. War and violence were never our nature. India neither attacked any other country, nor it occupied even an inch of any other country's land. This is India's character," the Defence Minister said.
Singh was speaking at the Gita Dana Yajna organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) at its magnificent Rajadhiraja Govinda temple in Vasantapura in Bengaluru.
"The world should also know that India doesn't like war and violence, but staying neutral to the injustice and oppression is also not part of our character," he said without elaborating.
The Union Minister explained the circumstances that led to the Battle of Mahabharata.
It was on the battlefield of Kurukshetra where Lord Sri Krishna delivered his epic lecture which came to be known as Srimad Bhagwad Gita, he said.
The Defence Minister told the gathering that the Pandavas, the central character of the Hindu epic Mahabharata were ready to settle for five villages after spending years in exile but the Kauravas were not ready to part with land measuring the cusp of a needle. This denial had led to the battle, which ended by establishing the victory of virtues.
"That's why I often say that India never troubles others but if someone troubles us, India will not spare them. This is the message of Bhagwad Gita," Singh said.
He also told the audience that the content of Gita makes it eternal and universal. Reading Bhagwad Gita and imbibing it in life makes a person fearless, he added.
The ISKCON Bengaluru has decided to donate one lakh copies of Bhagwad Gita through out this month, apart from organising cultural and religious events.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and ISRO chairman S Somanath were among the dignitaries who were present on the occasion.
