California Senate passes bill against caste-based discrimination

Shillong, May 12: California state Senate has passed a Bill to ban caste-based discrimination on Thursday.

The measure, which passed 34-1, would give people legal remedies to resolve claims of caste bias and discrimination.

The California state Senate took a step towards outlawing caste-based discrimination on Thursday by passing a bill.

The provisions of SB 403 specifically safeguard those who have experienced systemic injury due to caste bigotry and prejudice. Furthermore, it creates unambiguous legal consequences for anyone who seeks to avoid accountability or responsibility for endorsing or participating in caste-based violence.

Earlier this year, Seattle became the first US city to include caste protections in its anti-discrimination laws, and numerous colleges and universities have followed suit.

Advocates for those who are caste-oppressed claim that companies and institutions are ill-prepared to deal with caste bias which has been observed recently among South Asians in the US.

Democratic state senator Aisha Wahab, who represents a region that includes parts of the East Bay and Silicon Valley, first sponsored the California proposal in March.