By:-
Snigdha Chowdhury
In the wake of the recent terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam and the resulting escalation of hostilities between India and Pakistan, noted public intellectual and Carnatic musician T.M. Krishna has stirred a powerful conversation, one that calls for peace, not as a sign of weakness, but as the most courageous act in times of crisis.
In his latest opinion piece, Krishna challenges the narrative that equates patriotism with aggression. Reflecting on the national mood following the attack, he criticises the rise of vengeance-driven rhetoric on social media and mainstream platforms. “We celebrated fake news of destruction, not caring who died, just that someone did,” he writes, condemning the collective desensitisation to violence.
Calling himself a pacifist in a tweet, Krishna faced backlash for advocating non-violence. Yet, he argues that the true moment for peace is not when calm prevails, but when rage threatens to consume us. Peace, he asserts, is not an escape, it is a moral necessity.
He also highlights how the tragedy was used as a justification to promote Islamophobia and target Kashmiris. The emotional manipulation of the public, according to Krishna, reflects deeper socio-political fractures fuelled by toxic masculinity and hyper-nationalism.
Krishna's reflection doesn’t dismiss the need for justice, but separates it from revenge. “Justice must be dispassionate,” he writes, noting how unbridled hate clouds fair decision-making. Ordinary people living on the borders do not want war. They don’t want to die.
Through his column, Krishna invites citizens to pause and ask: Are we willing to trade empathy for anger? Can we listen instead of shouting? In doing so, he restores the dignity of dissent and redefines courage, not as the roar of battle, but as the whisper of peace amidst chaos.
At a time when fury threatens to override reason, Krishna’s words are a plea to keep the dove of peace alive, against all odds.
