The Minority of Violence in a Majority of Peace

On the night of 19th February 2006, I was watching the movie Viruddh. The film begins with Amar (John Abraham) narrating the story of his family and himself. Amar is the son of Vidyadhar (Amitabh Bachchan) and Sumitra Patwardhan (Sharmila Tagore), a middle-class couple in India. Amar lives and works in London and sends part of his salary back home. One day, he returns with his girlfriend, Jenny Mayer (Anusha Dandekar), and announces his intention to marry her. Initially hesitant, his parents eventually feel happy for the couple.

Later, while celebrating with his friends, Amar witnesses a murder outside a pub. As he tries to stop the killer, he is fatally injured and eventually succumbs in the hospital.

While watching this film, Leena (my wife) and I were discussing how no parent should ever have to go through the pain of losing their child. Around 8:30–9:00 PM, I received a call from my brother’s in-law in Durgapur informing me that my brother had been rushed to the hospital after blacking out. A few minutes later, an unknown person who introduced himself as a friend of Unni (as my brother was known among friends) called to tell me, in our very first conversation, that my brother had passed away.

Such is the vulnerability of human life.

My brother used to be called by his pet name,  was extremely conscious about his health. He would carefully measure everything he ate, always questioning whether it was a want or a need. When we were together, people who didn’t know us would often try to guess who was older.

The fragility of life is beyond our control. Some people leave us suddenly. I have known relatives and friends who fought and defeated cancer, only to succumb when it relapsed. Others have passed away after prolonged illness. Some have died in road accidents. There are certain things that seem destined.

Beyond this natural vulnerability, there are also incidents that are entirely man-made, people losing their lives due to terrorist attacks. While such events may feel beyond our control, they are, in reality, decisions made by individuals or groups who choose violence. If those choices were different, countless lives could be saved.

Below is a list of terrorist attacks:

1960s–1980s
1963 – Assassination of John F. Kennedy (USA)
1972 – Munich massacre (Germany – Olympics/tourists & athletes)
1984 – Assassination of Indira Gandhi (India)

1990s
1991 – Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi (India)
1997 – Luxor massacre (Egypt – tourists)

Early 2000s
2001 – September 11 attacks (USA – civilians & travelers)
2002 – Bali bombings (Indonesia – tourists)
2005 – Delhi bombings (India – civilians)
2005 – 7 July London bombings (UK – civilians)

Late 2000s
2007 – Assassination of Benazir Bhutto (Pakistan)
2008 – Mumbai attacks (India – civilians & tourists)
2009 – Lahore attack on Sri Lankan cricket team (Pakistan – sports)

2010s
2010 – Togo national football team bus attack (Angola – sports)
2013 – Boston Marathon bombing (USA – sports/public)
2015 – Paris attacks (France – civilians & tourists)
2015 – Sousse beach attack (Tunisia – tourists)
2016 – Nice truck attack (France – civilians & tourists)
2019 – Pulwama attack (India – security forces)

2020s
2024 – Pahalgam tourist attack (India – tourists in Jammu & Kashmir)

Terrorist attacks have targeted common citizens, heads of state, sports communities, air travellers, and tourists. While heads of state are relatively protected due to intelligence and security cover, ordinary citizens remain far more exposed. Ironically, it is the tax-paying common citizen who funds the very systems meant to protect society, yet often appears the most vulnerable.

In our daily lives, whether commuting to work or traveling for business, we rarely think about becoming victims of such attacks. Fortunately, most of the time, people remain safe. Even in regions with instability, not every incident leads to loss of life. That said, this is not to justify or normalize lawlessness.

The point I want to make is simple: the majority of people in the world want peace. It is a small minority whether driven by power, ideology, or control that creates conflict. This applies not only to terrorist organizations but also to other forces like organized crime.

Even in recent geopolitical conflicts, most citizens desire peace, not destruction, neither for themselves nor for others. However, leaders sometimes manipulate narratives to maintain power, often masking realities with claims of victory or control.

If the world were truly driven by violence, it would have descended into chaos long ago. Society would have broken down,  entirely families turning against each other, survival overriding humanity. The fact that this has not happened is proof that peace is the natural inclination of most people.

Yes, there are attempts to create division and conflict, but equally, there are countless instances where ordinary people resist these forces and choose peace instead.

The positive reality is that most of humanity wants peace.

Yet, one mystery remains unchanged: when we enter this world and when we leave it. No one has ever been able to predict it, and perhaps no one ever will.