People also need India's vedas, puranas and upanishads, Ramesh Pokhriyal said.
Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ''Nishank'' on Saturday said at a time when terrorism is threatening peace across the globe, the world needs a Mahatma Gandhi.
Addressing a gathering at the launch of ''World Book Fair 2020'' at Pragati Maidan in Delhi, he said, "Asia's largest book fair is celebrating Gandhi. At a time when incidents of terrorism are occurring across the globe...personal interests have threatened brotherhood and peace, we need Gandhi the most."
Under such circumstances, the world needs Mahatma Gandhi's principles of truth, love and nonviolence, the minister said.
People also need India's vedas, puranas and upanishads that are repositories of knowledge and science, he said.
He said people are "moving away from books today" which leads to deformation of ideas and this needs to stop.
As many as 600 publishers from 23 countries are participating in the book fair which will continue till January 12.