California governor vetoes caste discrimination bill

California governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday vetoed a bill which would explicitly ban caste discrimination, calling it "unnecessary". 

The bill was recently passed by the state legislature and is of particular importance to those of Hindu and South Asian descent.

"Because discrimination based on caste is already prohibited under these existing categories, this bill is unnecessary," Newsom said in a letter to California state lawmakers posted on the website of the governor's office. "For this reason, I cannot sign this bill."

Newsom's decision to scrap the bill comes as a setback to activists in the US who have been looking for an explicit ban on caste discrimination.

Caste discrimination is one of the oldest forms of social division based on inherited, perceived status, and is especially prevalent in India. Headlines of violence against Dalits — the "lowest" rung in the Hindu caste system where they have been treated as "untouchables" — are a common sight in Indian media.

Officially called the Senate Bill 403 or SB 403, the bill banning caste discrimination was introduced and authored by Afghan-American Democratic state senator Aisha Wahab in March. An earlier version of it passed the state senate before undergoing revisions. 

A revised version — which listed caste under "ancestry" and not as a separate category — was passed by the state assembly in August and by the state senate in early September. Both votes were nearly unanimous. 

Those opposing the bill in California say US laws already ban ancestry discrimination and a targeted bill only serves to stigmatise the entire community, mostly Hindus and South Asians, with a broad brush. 

The US and Canada, both with a substantial South Asian-descent population, have seen a growing movement to fight caste-based prejudice. In 2023 itself, Seattle became the first US city to outlaw caste discrimination after a city council vote. 

Meanwhile, Toronto's school board became the first in Canada to recognise that the issue existed in the city's schools. Even in California, in September, Fresno became the second US city to ban the practice after a unanimous city council vote. 

Those working to ban it in the state launched a hunger strike in early September, pushing for the law's passage. Despite the veto, they are not defeated. 

Thenmozhi Soundararajan, executive director of Equality Labs, the Oakland-based Dalit rights group, said she still views this moment as a victory. "We made the world aware that caste exists in the US and our people need a remedy from this violence. A testament to our organising is in Newsom's veto where he acknowledges that caste is currently covered. So while we wipe our tears and grieve, know that we are not defeated," she said.

A United Nations report in 2016 said at least 250 million people across the world still face caste discrimination in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Pacific regions, with the practice prevalent among Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Muslim and Sikh communities.