i) Oh, your friend is so wrong. These things happen here all the time. Doesn’t she live “here” or what?

ii) Clashes betwen Hindus and Muslims are not racist in nature. They are communal. In India, riots are usually communal or casteist in nature. Most racist riots in India happen in the Northeast. But then those are more clashes than riots. Nagas killing Kukis in Manipur, for instance (but that is old hat now). Or, Bodos attacking Advivasis in Kokrajhar.

iii) And it is not that racism does not exist in India. You are rather lucky if you have not seen people being discriminated against on account of their being Biharis, Bongs, Northeasterners, Southies, and come what have you.

It is all fine to start practicing charity at home for starters. But the problem lies elsewhere. Racism begets racism. Racists drawn all non-racists into the vortex. It depends on how much resilient and callous you can be. And for howlong.

Cheers.