California Senate Committee okays bill to end caste discrimination

A bill seeking to explicitly ban caste discrimination in California has been unanimously passed by the state's Senate Judiciary Committee, amidst strong opposition from Indian-American business and temple organisations. The California Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday unanimously voted 'Yes' to move the anti-caste discrimination bill forward to the Senate.

This is for the first time that a US State legislature would consider legislation on caste. If passed, the bill could make America's most populous state also the country's first to make caste bias illegal.

"Today, I proudly stand in solidarity with my caste-oppressed community members, caste equity movement organisers, and allies to say that caste-oppressed Californians are now one step closer to attaining the protections they deserve and are entitled to," said Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Equality Labs and author of 'The Trauma of Caste'.