California turns into first US state to go anti-caste discrimination invoice

An anti-caste discrimination invoice has been handed by the California State Assembly that seeks to fight caste discrimination and strengthen protections for marginalised communities throughout the state.

The invoice was handed by the Assembly on Monday. It now heads to Governor Gavin Newsom for his signature to make it into regulation, making California the primary US state so as to add caste as a protected class in its anti-discrimination legal guidelines.

The invoice handed by the California Assembly seeks to fight caste discrimination and strengthen protections for marginalised communities throughout the state. It was first launched by State Senator Aisha Wahab and was supported by a number of caste fairness civil rights activists and organizations from throughout the nation.

“Thank you to all the Assembly members who voted in support of SB 403 today. We are protecting people from a long-standing form of discrimination with SB 403,” Wahab stated in a tweet.

A coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) described it as a black day in California historical past.

The laws will revise California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, Education, and Housing codes by including caste as a protected class beneath “ancestry.” Since its introduction earlier this 12 months, the invoice has flown via the completely different steps within the legislature, attaining a largely bipartisan consensus throughout a number of labour and civil rights entities.

“The Assembly Vote is a win for the ages. After conducting over 700 advocacy meetings across the entire state of California the people have spoken resoundingly for caste equity protections. As a Californian who has endured caste my whole life I know the struggles and adversity caste-oppressed Californians have unjustly faced firsthand,” stated Thenmozhi Soundararajan, govt director of Equality Labs.

Caste-oppressed individuals have organised for over twenty years so we may have lives free from violent assaults and discrimination; now, the California Assembly has voted decisively to carry us nearer to victory, she stated.

“As the bill progresses we ask Governor Newsome to sign this bill once it crosses his desk so that California can lead the nation and the world to ensure that our institutions are free from discrimination and ensure opportunity for all,” Soundararajan stated.

In an announcement, CoHNA stated the passing of a invoice that’s NOT facially impartial and written to particularly goal Hindu Americans is the newest in a protracted line of unjust payments, just like the Asian Exclusion Act, which have been standard on the time of their passing and have been used to focus on minorities of color.

“This bill will be no different and is indeed worse since it ignored the mounting body of evidence about the overreach of CRD in the Cisco lawsuit, the flawed data from a hate group that underpinned the whole effort, the championing of this bill by foreign actors and the rising numbers of Dalit and Bahujan voices speaking against it,” it stated.

Amar Shergill, California Democratic Chair of the Progressive Caucus stated there may be broad consensus in California amongst Democrats and Republicans that discrimination, in any kind, is unacceptable.

Pooja Ren, Hindus for Caste Equity stated as a Dalit Hindu, she needs to ensure that they will make workplaces protected for all staff, in addition to all faculties for his or her youngsters.

“Future Dalit generations in the diaspora must be protected. Pathways must be paved for our children to feel safe from casteist bullying and discrimination from casteist parents. We must have justice when caste discrimination occurs. We are a community that has suffered for centuries, and protection will give us the human rights as residents of California to live a life free from caste discrimination,” she stated.

Tarina Mand, South Asian Bar Association Civil Rights Taskforce stated California has taken a daring step to dismantle caste discrimination in a name for fairness and a recognition that deep-seated biases may be handed via a neighborhood for generations and throughout continents.

“As our communities process some incredibly disheartening judicial decisions in recent months about the value of our diverse national spirit, the passage of SB-403 today stands out as a watershed moment,” he stated.

Dalit activist Deelip Mhaske stated amidst the shifting tides of the world, California’s adoption of the Caste Law stands as a groundbreaking testomony, echoing far past its borders. “The resounding influence of the Indian diaspora reverberates through the corridors of power, with four Indians eyeing the presidential throne in 2024, and multinational giants swayed by the decisions of Indian diaspora leaders,” stated Mhaske, president of the Foundation For Human Horizon.

Published On:

Aug 29, 2023