California has taken a historic step by passing a law that makes it the first state in the United States to ban caste discrimination.
This move is aimed at protecting people of South Asian descent who believe they’ve been treated unfairly because of their caste.
The decision is now in the hands of the governor, who will decide whether to make this bill a law.
Earlier this year, Seattle became the first US city to pass a similar ban.
The caste system in India has a long history, stretching back over 3,000 years.
It categorizes Hindu society into strict hierarchical groups.
The new law passed with a 31-5 vote, was put forth by Democratic state senator Aisha Wahab.
She believes that by including caste as a protected category in the state’s anti-discrimination laws, it will be on par with protections for gender, race, religion, and disability.
Ms. Wahab, who is the first Muslim and Afghan-American woman elected to the state legislature, expressed her views: “We shined a light on a long-hidden form of discrimination thousands of years old, invisible shackles on the wrist of millions of people.”
However, not everyone supported this legislation.
Five Republican state senators voted against it, arguing that discrimination was already illegal under state law.
The decision now rests with Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, who will review the bill when it lands on his desk.
Some Hindu groups have argued that the caste system is not a significant issue in North America.
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) voiced their concerns on social media, stating that this bill could unfairly target South Asians.
In contrast, some Dalit (formerly known as untouchables) activists disagree with these claims.
They argue that they have faced discrimination from people of higher castes.
In a related case from 2020, the technology company Cisco was sued by the state after allegations that two high-caste Indian managers discriminated against a Dalit engineer, paying him a lower salary.
