California Governor urged not to sign bill on caste-based discrimination

Eminent Indian-American community leaders have urged California Governor Gavin Newsom not to sign a recently passed legislation which seeks to include 'caste' as a protected category in California.

This is important to protect the civil rights of South Asians, Indian-American community leaders Ajay Bhutoria and Ramesh Kapur told Newsom during a recent meeting of the major Democratic party's fundraisers in Chicago.

During the meeting, Bhutoria from California and Kapur from Boston urged Newsom to vote 'NO' on SB-403. The bill, introduced by Senator Aisha Wahab, seeks to include 'caste' as a protected category in California, but its vague definition and potential for frivolous lawsuits have raised significant concerns, according to a statement.

Bhutoria emphasised that while offensive language had been removed from the bill, the addition of 'caste' as a protected category based on a vague definition remains problematic for the South Asian community and could potentially lead to discrimination and problems in employment, promotions at work and college admissions.

The meeting highlighted the need for a thorough study of caste discrimination in California before implementing a law that could inadvertently cause more harm than good. The bill has been sent to the governor to be signed into law.

Among the key reasons to vote 'NO' on SB-403 are concerns about the bill's vague definition of 'caste', potential for endless litigation, and the reliance on questionable data sources, the statement said.

Bhutoria and Kapur firmly believe that the existing federal and state laws already protect against caste discrimination, making this proposed legislation unnecessary and potentially divisive, it added.

They called on Governor Newsom and all officials concerned to consider the potential consequences of the bill on South Asian communities and prioritise a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to addressing discrimination, the statement said.