A bill to prohibit caste discrimination was approved by the California Assembly late on Monday, bringing California one step closer to becoming the first state in the union to do so.
Although casteism is expressly prohibited by U.S. discrimination statutes, heritage discrimination is nonetheless prohibited. By including caste on the list of groups covered by the state’s anti-discrimination statutes, Californian legislation specifically addresses the caste system among communities of South Asian immigrants.
Aisha Wahab, a state senator and Democrat who is of Afghan descent, sponsored and wrote the measure in March. It was amended after a previous version was approved by the state Senate.
On Monday, the state Assembly voted almost unanimously to pass the bill. The amended version will now return to the state Senate for a vote, where it is anticipated to pass, before going to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk to be signed into law.
Caste discrimination, according to activists who oppose it, should be illegal because it is similar to other forms of discrimination like racism.
The campaign against the caste system in North America has gained momentum recently.
Following a decision by the city council, Seattle was the first American city to abolish caste discrimination, while Toronto’s school board was the first in Canada to acknowledge caste prejudice in the city’s schools.
Hindus and Americans of Indian heritage are particularly concerned about this topic.
One of the oldest and most strict systems of social stratification in the world is the caste system. It has been around for a very long time and grants upper castes various privileges while suppressing lesser castes. In the Hindu caste system, the Dalit society is at the bottom and its members have historically been stigmatized as “untouchables.”
Although caste prejudice was outlawed in India more than 70 years ago, recent research indicates that prejudice still exists. According to one survey, fewer members of lower castes had positions with higher salaries.
In India, Dalits continue to experience pervasive oppression, and attempts at social mobility have occasionally been violently resisted.
The caste system controversy is divisive and tied to religion both in India and overseas. According to some, discrimination is now uncommon, especially outside of India. Many lower-caste students have landed IT jobs in the West in recent years thanks to Indian government programs that reserve seats for them at prestigious Indian universities.