California State Assembly Passes Historic Anti-Caste Discrimination Bill, Setting New Precedent
In a groundbreaking move towards eradicating caste-based bias and bolstering social equity, the California State Assembly has passed an anti-caste discrimination bill with an overwhelming majority. This marks a historic achievement, making California the first U.S. state to officially outlaw caste discrimination.
The bill, which was earlier passed by the state’s Senate in May, adds caste as a protected category under ‘ancestry’ in California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, Education, and Housing codes. It emphasizes that all people in the state of California are entitled to full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments.
Introduced by Senator Aisha Wahab, a Democratic Party lawmaker, in March, the legislation aims to address a long-standing form of discrimination. The bill will now move to the Senate for its final concurrence vote on the amended version before Governor Gavin Newsom signs it into official state law.
While the passing of this bill is being hailed as a landmark achievement by organizations such as the Ambedkar Association of North America (AANA) and Equality Labs, it has faced opposition from some Hindu groups in the U.S. who fear that it will lead to instances of Hinduphobia and that it specifically targets Hindu Americans.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) expressed strong opposition to the bill, arguing that it will discriminate against Hindus and racially profile select communities based on their ethnicity and ancestry. They consider the bill to be unjust and believe it falls in line with a pattern of unjust bills used to target minority communities in the past.
However, supporters of the bill argue that caste discrimination is a real issue that needs to be addressed. Thenmozhi Soundararajan, the executive director of Equality Labs, believes that opponents of the bill lead with denial and fear tactics, but California stands for civil rights and will not be swayed by bigotry.
The movement to add caste as a protected category in the United States is driven by a coalition of Dalit and human rights organizations coordinated by Equality Labs. Their efforts aim to bring social justice and equality to marginalized communities.
As the bill moves closer to becoming law, it represents a significant step forward in combating caste discrimination and promoting social equity in California. It sets a precedent for other states to follow in the fight against discrimination based on caste or any other form of bias.
