UP, Lucknow, “no discrimination”

[Speaking to a technical recruiter…]

1: Okay. So you should be good for your interview on Monday.
2: Thanks. I’ll brush up on the weekend.
1: Excellent. You’ll do well.
2: By the way, you speak Hindi henna?
1: Yes, yes.
[A conversation in Hindi begins…]
2: You know, I felt so uncomfortable going to India.
1: Why?
2: Cuz of all the discrimination.
1: Really?
2: You’re acting like you haven’t heard of anything. You know about the CAA. The riots in Delhi, Kashmir, Gujrat…
1: That happens more in the South.
2: Where are you?
1: We’re in the North.
2: Where?
1: I’m from Lucknow. In UP. You know UP?
2: That’s not in the North.
1: No?
2: The North is like Kashmir.
1: Oh. We call it the North.
2: Acha. So you don’t know about this discrimination?
1: It doesn’t happen in Lucknow.
2: So nobody says anything against Muslims?
1: Itne tehzeeb hai wahan. Kisse ki jurat bhi nahin hai asse kehna.
2: Seriously?
1: I’m serious. There is nothing like that.
2: So why don’t you call it Urdu, instead of Hindi.
1: Well it’s the same thing.
2: But Lucknow is known for Urdu.
1: I know…
2: So no issues there?
1: Not at all. I still remember. An aunty who was Muslim when I was small. She was my mom’s good friend. We had good times.
2: But you’re Sikh right?
1: No. Hindu. Hindu Rajput.
2: Why is it like that? I never had it in me to just blindly discriminate so easily based on an entire religion. So why is it happening?
1: I’m not sure. We aren’t like that at all. Everyone lives together in Lucknow.