Subhechcha Ganguly 
Theoretically, caste inequality has contributed to issues like pay theft, bias, and occasionally harassment at work, according to the bill’s backers.On Wednesday, the California Assembly Judiciary Committee approved a bill ‘banning caste discrimination’. According to local media reports, if this bill passes the Assembly, California will become the first state in the US to enact such a law. The “Senate Bill 403” bill adds “caste as a protected category” to employment, housing fairness, and the Unruh Civil Rights Act.
Caste discrimination, according to those who are in favour of a bill that would declare lower caste members in California a protected class, has led to issues including wage theft, bias, and occasionally workplace harassment. The Appropriations Committee, which votes on legislation with a financial impact, will now take up the bill. After being approved by the Appropriations Committee, it will be put to a full vote on the Assembly floor.
Asian Americans make up about 15% of California’s population, the Public Policy Institute of California reports, according to an ABC10 study. Although some people see the law as a welcome step, concerns have been voiced among the South Asian community about its possible effects.individuals who favour the law, according to the BBC, think it is “extremely important because caste is an issue that doesn’t just affect people from Asia, but also affects Somalians, Nigerians, and Japanese.”
