California Governor Vetoes Caste Discrimination Bill, Citing Existing Protections
Governor Gavin Newsom of California, a Democratic leader, has vetoed a bill aimed at prohibiting caste discrimination in the state, asserting that the current legal framework already safeguards individuals against such discrimination. Advocates for the bill contended that it would provide essential protection to individuals of South Asian descent who have experienced unfair treatment.
Governor Newsom emphasised that California’s current laws already prohibit discrimination based on religion, origin, and other characteristics. He argued that, since caste-based discrimination falls under these existing categories, the bill was deemed unnecessary.
The issue of caste discrimination has historical roots in the caste system of India, which has been in existence for over 3,000 years and divides Hindu society into rigid hierarchical groups. Although India officially banned caste discrimination over 70 years ago, prejudices and biases persist, particularly against the Dalits, formerly known as “untouchables.”
California legislators voted overwhelmingly in favour of the state’s first bill explicitly banning caste discrimination, with a vote of 31-5. The bill sought to include caste as a protected category in the state’s anti-discrimination laws, alongside gender, race, religion, and disability. Seattle had previously become the first US city to prohibit caste discrimination in February.
The bill received mixed reactions in California, home to one of the largest South Asian populations in the US. Public hearings on the bill attracted hundreds of residents, and opinions on the matter were deeply divided. Some, including the Hindu American Foundation, regarded it as a “divisive bill” that unfairly singled out South Asians.
In response to Governor Newsom’s veto, the Hindu American Foundation expressed relief, describing the bill as potentially leading to the targeting of hundreds of thousands of Californians based on their ethnicity or religious identity.
Supporters of the bill, such as the Dalit civil rights organisation Equality Labs, argued that Dalits in the US face harassment, biases, and workplace discrimination from upper-caste individuals. They highlighted a 2020 lawsuit against technology company Cisco, where two high-caste Indian managers allegedly discriminated against a Dalit engineer, ultimately resulting in the case’s dismissal in April 2023.
Governor Newsom’s veto decision reflects the ongoing debate and complexities surrounding caste-based discrimination in California and the broader US context.
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