California lawmakers have passed a bill that outlaws caste-based discrimination in the state. If the legislation becomes law, then it will become the first US state to enforce such a rule that has traditionally existed in South Asian communities.

The bill, introduced by Democrat Senator Aisha Wahab, will now be sent to Governor Gavin Newsom, who will decide whether to sign it into law.

Wahab is the first Muslim and Afghan-American woman elected to the state Legislature.

<h2>Discrimination laws extended to caste&nbsp;</h2>

Though there are already laws in place to ban discrimination based on sex, race and religion, this is the&nbsp;first time in California that the anti-discrimination law has covered caste in a state that has a noticeable presence of South Asian community, especially Indians.

California's civil rights law goes further by outlawing discrimination based on things like medical conditions, genetic information, sexual orientation, immigration status and ancestry.

On Tuesday, the state Senate voted 31-5 to approve a bill that would redefine “ancestry” to include “lineal descent, heritage, parentage, caste, or any inherited social status,” reports AP news agency.

“The more our communities become more and more diverse, we need to go further and deeper to protect more people — even when certain issues are more invisible to the mainstream public,” Wahab said.

<h2>Bill passed amid strong pushback&nbsp;</h2>

In the days leading up to the passage of the bill, Wahab received a massive pushback from the South Asian community, who argued that the bill unfairly targets them. Some even said that caste discrimination is not a problem in the US.

Earlier this year, the Hindu American Foundation in a letter to state lawmakers expressed worry that South Asians could be “forced to answer intrusive questions about or be judged for who they are married to.”

In the legislature while voting, five Republicans voted against the bill, saying it would prompt the government and others to inappropriately judge people of South Asian descent.

State Senator Shannon Grove, a Republican from Bakersfield, noted caste was a complex system with no universally agreed definition.

“This is not a bill that protects, but it's a bill that profiles,” Grove said.

Notably, voters in California can also veto laws passed by the Legislature. If enough people sign a petition, it triggers a referendum where voters are asked whether they want to keep a certain law or block it.

<h2>Why California?</h2>

There is a reason why California state lawmakers raced to form safeguards against caste discrimination.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-airlines-stops-departures-nationwide-due-to-equipment-outage-632695">United Airlines briefly halts departures nationwide due to equipment outage</a>

In recent years, caste-based discrimination has rattled the Silicon Valley, a large draw for South Asian technology workers, especially in Southern California.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/republic-of-bharat-chorus-grows-for-india-to-be-renamed-as-bharat-632507">'Republic of Bharat': Chorus grows to restore India's ancient name</a>

A 2020 lawsuit by the California Civil Rights Department — believed to be the first in the state to be filed on the grounds of caste-based discrimination — accused two Cisco supervisors of discriminating against and harassing an employee who identified as Dalit, the lowest class in the caste hierarchy.

The case against Cisco is ongoing, though complaints against the two supervisors were dropped earlier this year.

(With inputs from agencies)

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California lawmakers have passed a bill that outlaws caste-based discrimination in the state. If the legislation becomes law, then it will become the first US state to enforce such a rule that has traditionally existed in South Asian communities.

California lawmakers have passed a bill that outlaws caste-based discrimination in the state. If the legislation becomes law, then it will become the first US state to enforce such a rule that has traditionally existed in South Asian communities. The bill, introduced by Democrat Senator Aisha Wahab, will now be sent to Governor Gavin Newsom, who will decide whether to sign it into law. Wahab is the first Muslim and Afghan-American woman elected to the state Legislature. Discrimination laws extended to caste Though there are already laws in place to ban discrimination based on sex, race and religion, this is the first time in California that the anti-discrimination law has covered caste in a state that has a noticeable presence of South Asian community, especially Indians. California's civil rights law goes further by outlawing discrimination based on things like medical conditions, genetic information, sexual orientation, immigration status and ancestry. On Tuesday, the state Senate voted 31-5 to approve a bill that would redefine “ancestry” to include “lineal descent, heritage, parentage, caste, or any inherited social status,” reports AP news agency. “The more our communities become more and more diverse, we need to go further and deeper to protect more people — even when certain issues are more invisible to the mainstream public,” Wahab said. Bill passed amid strong pushback In the days leading up to the passage of the bill, Wahab received a massive pushback from the South Asian community, who argued that the bill unfairly targets them. Some even said that caste discrimination is not a problem in the US. Earlier this year, the Hindu American Foundation in a letter to state lawmakers expressed worry that South Asians could be “forced to answer intrusive questions about or be judged for who they are married to.” In the legislature while voting, five Republicans voted against the bill, saying it would prompt the government and others to inappropriately judge people of South Asian descent. State Senator Shannon Grove, a Republican from Bakersfield, noted caste was a complex system with no universally agreed definition. “This is not a bill that protects, but it's a bill that profiles,” Grove said. Notably, voters in California can also veto laws passed by the Legislature. If enough people sign a petition, it triggers a referendum where voters are asked whether they want to keep a certain law or block it. Why California? There is a reason why California state lawmakers raced to form safeguards against caste discrimination. Also read | United Airlines briefly halts departures nationwide due to equipment outage In recent years, caste-based discrimination has rattled the Silicon Valley, a large draw for South Asian technology workers, especially in Southern California. Also read | 'Republic of Bharat': Chorus grows to restore India's ancient name A 2020 lawsuit by the California Civil Rights Department — believed to be the first in the state to be filed on the grounds of caste-based discrimination — accused two Cisco supervisors of discriminating against and harassing an employee who identified as Dalit, the lowest class in the caste hierarchy. The case against Cisco is ongoing, though complaints against the two supervisors were dropped earlier this year. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

In a first, California lawmakers outlaw caste discrimination

California is coming closer to becoming the first American state to ban caste discrimination after a bill to outlaw the practice was passed in the state assembly on Monday (August 28). According to a report by the news agency Reuters early Wednesday, the assembly passed the bill- SB403 - by a near-unanimous vote. The bill was introduced and authored in March by state Senator Aisha Wahab, an Afghan-American Democrat.&nbsp;

Reuters reported that an earlier version of the bill passed the Senate before undergoing revisions.

"Proud to announce Senator Aisha Wahab's bill SB403 which I presented on the Assembly floor today, passed on a 55-3 vote. This bill prohibits discrimination based on caste in California," Assembly member Damon Connolly posted on X, earlier known as Twitter, on Tuesday.&nbsp;

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Proud to announce Senator <a href="https://twitter.com/aishabbwahab?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aishabbwahab</a>’s bill <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SB403?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SB403</a>, which I presented on the Assembly floor today, passed on a 55-3 vote. This bill prohibits discrimination based on caste in California. <a href="https://t.co/kPh04kJnWR">pic.twitter.com/kPh04kJnWR</a>
— Assemblymember Damon Connolly (@AsmConnolly) <a href="https://twitter.com/AsmConnolly/status/1696306466557501868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The revised version would now move back for a vote to the state Senate where it is expected to be passed, before heading to Governor Gavin Newsom to be signed into law.

Discrimination laws in the US ban ancestry discrimination but do not explicitly ban casteism. California's bill targets the caste system in South Asian immigrant communities by adding caste to the list of categories protected under the state's anti-discrimination laws.

Reuters reported activists opposing caste discrimination said it is no different from other forms of discrimination like racism and hence should be outlawed.

In February, Seattle became the first American city to outlaw caste discrimination after the local council&nbsp;voted to add caste to Seattle's anti-discrimination laws.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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California is coming closer to becoming the first American state to ban caste discrimination after a bill to outlaw the practice was passed in the state assembly on Monday (August 28).

California is coming closer to becoming the first American state to ban caste discrimination after a bill to outlaw the practice was passed in the state assembly on Monday (August 28). According to a report by the news agency Reuters early Wednesday, the assembly passed the bill- SB403 - by a near-unanimous vote. The bill was introduced and authored in March by state Senator Aisha Wahab, an Afghan-American Democrat. Reuters reported that an earlier version of the bill passed the Senate before undergoing revisions. "Proud to announce Senator Aisha Wahab's bill SB403 which I presented on the Assembly floor today, passed on a 55-3 vote. This bill prohibits discrimination based on caste in California," Assembly member Damon Connolly posted on X, earlier known as Twitter, on Tuesday. Proud to announce Senator @aishabbwahab’s bill #SB403, which I presented on the Assembly floor today, passed on a 55-3 vote. This bill prohibits discrimination based on caste in California. pic.twitter.com/kPh04kJnWR — Assemblymember Damon Connolly (@AsmConnolly) August 28, 2023 × The revised version would now move back for a vote to the state Senate where it is expected to be passed, before heading to Governor Gavin Newsom to be signed into law. Discrimination laws in the US ban ancestry discrimination but do not explicitly ban casteism. California's bill targets the caste system in South Asian immigrant communities by adding caste to the list of categories protected under the state's anti-discrimination laws. Reuters reported activists opposing caste discrimination said it is no different from other forms of discrimination like racism and hence should be outlawed. In February, Seattle became the first American city to outlaw caste discrimination after the local council voted to add caste to Seattle's anti-discrimination laws. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

California to become first US state to ban caste discrimination

A bill that would outlaw caste-based discrimination in the state of California has been passed by a large margin in the Senate amid fears in scores of Indian-Americans that it will single out Hindus.&nbsp;

SB 403, sponsored by Senator Aisha Wahab, passed the Senate with a vote of 34-1. The bill now heads to the Democratic-controlled State Assembly and, if passed, to Governor Gavin Newsom's desk. Newsom hasn't had a public opinion on the measure.&nbsp;

California will become the first state to protect caste if the law is approved.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/adani-enterprises-to-consider-fundraising-after-scrapped-fpo-591483">Adani Enterprises to consider fundraising after scrapped FPO</a>

“There are so many people that want to heal from the trauma of caste,” a Dalit activist and the founder of the caste equity organization Equality Labs&nbsp;Thenmozhi Soundararajan told NBC after the voting.&nbsp;“What’s been incredible about this moment is to see these really beautiful inter-caste and interfaith alliances, groups that have all said that they’ve been harmed by caste and want freedom from it."

With the passage of this measure, caste will be added to the list of protected categories, along with race and sex, in California's current civil rights law.

“The more diverse California becomes and the United States becomes, we need to protect more people in the way the American dream was originally supposed to,” Senator Wahab told NBC News at the time when she introduced the bill.&nbsp;“Our laws need to expand and cover more people and go deeper.”

The legislation was initially introduced in the California Senate on March 22 by state senator Aisha Wahab, the first Muslim and Afghan American elected to the state senate.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-pti-leader-shireen-mazaris-arrested-cctv-footage-shows-armed-cops-entering-her-islamabad-house-591491">PTI leader Shireen Mazari arrested, CCTV footage shows armed cops entering her Islamabad house</a>

But the law has its detractors as well. Some Indian American organisations have spoken out against SB 403, claiming that it discriminates against Indians and Hindus and that adding protection against caste discrimination is unnecessary in the United States.&nbsp;

Wahab, however, asserted that the legislation is intended to safeguard people of all nations, faiths, and cultures. The California Labour Federation, MeToo International, and the American Civil Liberties Union all endorse it.&nbsp;

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Wahab said in a news release on Thursday that she has received numerous threats, including death threats, ever since she filed the bill. Soundararajan and other Dalit activists claim that because of their work in the area of caste equity, they have become targets of doxxing and even physical abuse.&nbsp;

“I really, truly hope that our opponents will join us and put down the sword of bigotry,” Soundararajan said.

“Regardless of their fragility, their discomfort is not the equivalent of the grave discrimination our community is facing. We’re just thrilled for what this means for our community to have the opportunity to reconcile and heal from this violence.”

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A bill that would outlaw caste-based discrimination in the state of California has been passed by a large margin in the Senate amid fears in scores of Indian-Americans that it will single out Hindus.

A bill that would outlaw caste-based discrimination in the state of California has been passed by a large margin in the Senate amid fears in scores of Indian-Americans that it will single out Hindus. SB 403, sponsored by Senator Aisha Wahab, passed the Senate with a vote of 34-1. The bill now heads to the Democratic-controlled State Assembly and, if passed, to Governor Gavin Newsom's desk. Newsom hasn't had a public opinion on the measure. California will become the first state to protect caste if the law is approved. Also Read | Adani Enterprises to consider fundraising after scrapped FPO “There are so many people that want to heal from the trauma of caste,” a Dalit activist and the founder of the caste equity organization Equality Labs Thenmozhi Soundararajan told NBC after the voting. “What’s been incredible about this moment is to see these really beautiful inter-caste and interfaith alliances, groups that have all said that they’ve been harmed by caste and want freedom from it." With the passage of this measure, caste will be added to the list of protected categories, along with race and sex, in California's current civil rights law. “The more diverse California becomes and the United States becomes, we need to protect more people in the way the American dream was originally supposed to,” Senator Wahab told NBC News at the time when she introduced the bill. “Our laws need to expand and cover more people and go deeper.” The legislation was initially introduced in the California Senate on March 22 by state senator Aisha Wahab, the first Muslim and Afghan American elected to the state senate. Also Read | PTI leader Shireen Mazari arrested, CCTV footage shows armed cops entering her Islamabad house But the law has its detractors as well. Some Indian American organisations have spoken out against SB 403, claiming that it discriminates against Indians and Hindus and that adding protection against caste discrimination is unnecessary in the United States. Wahab, however, asserted that the legislation is intended to safeguard people of all nations, faiths, and cultures. The California Labour Federation, MeToo International, and the American Civil Liberties Union all endorse it. Watch | Gravitas: Israeli attacks kill 4 Islamic jihad members in the Gaza strip × Wahab said in a news release on Thursday that she has received numerous threats, including death threats, ever since she filed the bill. Soundararajan and other Dalit activists claim that because of their work in the area of caste equity, they have become targets of doxxing and even physical abuse. “I really, truly hope that our opponents will join us and put down the sword of bigotry,” Soundararajan said. “Regardless of their fragility, their discomfort is not the equivalent of the grave discrimination our community is facing. We’re just thrilled for what this means for our community to have the opportunity to reconcile and heal from this violence.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

California Senate passes bill to ban caste discrimination, Indian-Americans fear it will single out Hindus

A landmark law banning caste-based discrimination came into effect in the US city of Seattle, making it the first city outside India to enforce such a legislation.

The resolution was moved last month by Kshama Sawant, an Indian-American politician, economist and an upper-caste Hindu.

It was approved unanimously by the Seattle City Council by six to one vote.

Seattle is not only the first American city to ban caste discrimination but is the first jurisdiction at any level globally outside South Asia to do so.

“The world’s first ban against caste discrimination outside South Asia goes into effect TODAY in our city of Seattle!” Sawant said on Monday.

“Seattle’s law now prohibits businesses from discriminating based on caste with respect to hiring, tenure, promotion, workplace conditions, or wages,” Sawant said.

It will ban discrimination based on caste in places of public accommodation, such as hotels, public transportation, public restrooms, or retail establishments, she said, adding that the law also prohibits housing discrimination based on caste in rental housing leases, property sales, and mortgage loans.

Describing it as the biggest breakthrough for the global fight against caste oppression in many decades, Sawant said it has opened the floodgates for potentially winning such a ban on caste discrimination in other cities and states in the US as well.

“It’s not surprising that since we won in Seattle, policies against caste discrimination have been proposed in Toronto and California,” she noted.

Sawant said further victories are not guaranteed unless activists and working people adopt the kind of fighting strategy they used to win in Seattle.

“In fact, it is not coincidental that this unprecedented step forward occurred in this city. We won precisely because Socialist Alternative and I use our Council office as a vehicle to build united movements of working people, independent of the establishment that represents big business and the status quo,” Sawant explained.

Sawant, who migrated to the US from Pune in the late 1990s, said the next step would be to enforce this new law in the city.

“We need to keep building our movement to put pressure on the courts to win a case against caste discrimination using this law, which will be essential to force the major corporations to actually abide by it. My Council office will host a public hearing in May, inviting working people to speak out,” she explained.

Last week, California State Senator Aisha Wahab, the first Muslim and Afghan American elected to the state legislature, also introduced the bill seeking to explicitly ban caste discrimination.

Many Indian-Americans fear that codifying caste in public policy will further fuel instances of Hinduphobia in the US.

Over the last three years, ten Hindu temples and five statues, including those of Mahatma Gandhi and Maratha emperor Shivaji, have been vandalised across the US as an intimidation tactic against the Hindu community.

Indian-Americans are the second-largest immigrant group in the US.

According to data from the 2018 American Community Survey, which is conducted by the US Census Bureau, there are 4.2 million people of Indian origin residing in the United States.

India banned caste discrimination in 1948 and enshrined that policy in the Constitution in 1950.&nbsp;

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A landmark law banning caste-based discrimination came into effect in the US city of Seattle, making it the first city outside India to enforce such a legislation.

A landmark law banning caste-based discrimination came into effect in the US city of Seattle, making it the first city outside India to enforce such a legislation. The resolution was moved last month by Kshama Sawant, an Indian-American politician, economist and an upper-caste Hindu. It was approved unanimously by the Seattle City Council by six to one vote. Seattle is not only the first American city to ban caste discrimination but is the first jurisdiction at any level globally outside South Asia to do so. “The world’s first ban against caste discrimination outside South Asia goes into effect TODAY in our city of Seattle!” Sawant said on Monday. “Seattle’s law now prohibits businesses from discriminating based on caste with respect to hiring, tenure, promotion, workplace conditions, or wages,” Sawant said. It will ban discrimination based on caste in places of public accommodation, such as hotels, public transportation, public restrooms, or retail establishments, she said, adding that the law also prohibits housing discrimination based on caste in rental housing leases, property sales, and mortgage loans. Describing it as the biggest breakthrough for the global fight against caste oppression in many decades, Sawant said it has opened the floodgates for potentially winning such a ban on caste discrimination in other cities and states in the US as well. “It’s not surprising that since we won in Seattle, policies against caste discrimination have been proposed in Toronto and California,” she noted. Sawant said further victories are not guaranteed unless activists and working people adopt the kind of fighting strategy they used to win in Seattle. “In fact, it is not coincidental that this unprecedented step forward occurred in this city. We won precisely because Socialist Alternative and I use our Council office as a vehicle to build united movements of working people, independent of the establishment that represents big business and the status quo,” Sawant explained. Sawant, who migrated to the US from Pune in the late 1990s, said the next step would be to enforce this new law in the city. “We need to keep building our movement to put pressure on the courts to win a case against caste discrimination using this law, which will be essential to force the major corporations to actually abide by it. My Council office will host a public hearing in May, inviting working people to speak out,” she explained. Last week, California State Senator Aisha Wahab, the first Muslim and Afghan American elected to the state legislature, also introduced the bill seeking to explicitly ban caste discrimination. Many Indian-Americans fear that codifying caste in public policy will further fuel instances of Hinduphobia in the US. Over the last three years, ten Hindu temples and five statues, including those of Mahatma Gandhi and Maratha emperor Shivaji, have been vandalised across the US as an intimidation tactic against the Hindu community. Indian-Americans are the second-largest immigrant group in the US. According to data from the 2018 American Community Survey, which is conducted by the US Census Bureau, there are 4.2 million people of Indian origin residing in the United States. India banned caste discrimination in 1948 and enshrined that policy in the Constitution in 1950. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US: In Seattle, law banning caste-based discrimination comes into effect

A California lawmaker on Wednesday (March 22) introduced a legislation that seeks to ban discrimination based on caste. If the bill introduced by Senator Aisha Wahab gets passed, California will be first state in the US to ban discrimination based on caste.

The bill from Wahab, an Afghan-American lawmaker, has come just a month after Seattle became first country in the US to ban caste discrimination.

Caste system is a social evil found in South Asia, mainly India, that defines a social hierarchy based on old, worn-out criterion. It has been used as a justification by 'upper' castes to oppress those designated to 'lower' castes for centuries. There have been numerous reports of such caste-based discrimination among people of Indian heritage in the US.

California is home to major tech companies. The sector attracts large number of tech professionals from India. If the law gets passed, it will cover everyone in the state along with thousands of individuals with Indian heritage.

Senator Wahab herself represents a district in north California which has large number of South Asians. She was raised in San Francisco Bay area by a US couple after her parents passed away. She told BBC that she herself did not experience caste discrimination but she was aware of the social problem because of the the area she grew up in.

"I've had friends tell me that their parents immigrated to this country because they belong to different castes and [their] families weren't accepting of that," said Wahab, as quoted by the BBC.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A California lawmaker on Wednesday (March 22) introduced a legislation that seeks to ban discrimination based on caste. If the bill introduced by Senator Aisha Wahab gets passed, California will be first state in the US to ban discrimination based on caste.

A California lawmaker on Wednesday (March 22) introduced a legislation that seeks to ban discrimination based on caste. If the bill introduced by Senator Aisha Wahab gets passed, California will be first state in the US to ban discrimination based on caste. The bill from Wahab, an Afghan-American lawmaker, has come just a month after Seattle became first country in the US to ban caste discrimination. Caste system is a social evil found in South Asia, mainly India, that defines a social hierarchy based on old, worn-out criterion. It has been used as a justification by 'upper' castes to oppress those designated to 'lower' castes for centuries. There have been numerous reports of such caste-based discrimination among people of Indian heritage in the US. California is home to major tech companies. The sector attracts large number of tech professionals from India. If the law gets passed, it will cover everyone in the state along with thousands of individuals with Indian heritage. Senator Wahab herself represents a district in north California which has large number of South Asians. She was raised in San Francisco Bay area by a US couple after her parents passed away. She told BBC that she herself did not experience caste discrimination but she was aware of the social problem because of the the area she grew up in. "I've had friends tell me that their parents immigrated to this country because they belong to different castes and [their] families weren't accepting of that," said Wahab, as quoted by the BBC. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

California: Afghan-American lawmaker seeks law against caste discrimination

Toronto's school board has become the first in Canada to recognise that caste discrimination exists in the city's schools and has asked a provincial human rights body to help in creating a framework to address the issue.

The&nbsp;Toronto&nbsp;District School Board on Wednesday voted in favour of a motion to that effect, which was introduced by board trustee Yalini Rajakulasingam. Sixteen trustees voted in favour of the motion and five voted against it.

The move addresses an issue important to the area's South Asian diaspora, particularly the Indian and Hindu communities. It comes weeks after Seattle became the first US&nbsp;city to outlaw caste discrimination after a city council vote.

India's caste system is among the world's oldest forms of rigid social stratification.

"This motion is not about division, it is about creating healing and empowering communities and providing them safer schools that students deserve," Rajakulasingam said.

Rajakulasingam called for a partnership between the human rights commission of Ontario, Canada's most populous province, and&nbsp;Toronto's school board.

The caste system dates back thousands of years and allows many privileges to upper castes but represses lower castes. The Dalit community is on the lowest rung of the Hindu caste system and have been treated as "untouchables."

Caste discrimination was outlawed in India over 70 years ago, yet bias persists, according to several studies in recent years, including one that found people from lower castes were under-represented in higher-paying jobs.

Debate over the caste system's hierarchy is contentious in India and abroad, with the issue intertwined with religion. Some people say discrimination is now rare. Indian government policies reserving seats for lower-caste students at top Indian universities have helped many land tech jobs in the West in recent years, besides a quota in government jobs.

Activists opposing caste discrimination say it is no different from other forms of discrimination like racism and hence should be outlawed. 
 
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Toronto's school board has become the first in Canada to recognise that caste discrimination exists in the city's schools and has asked a provincial human rights body to help in creating a framework to address the issue.

Toronto's school board has become the first in Canada to recognise that caste discrimination exists in the city's schools and has asked a provincial human rights body to help in creating a framework to address the issue. The Toronto District School Board on Wednesday voted in favour of a motion to that effect, which was introduced by board trustee Yalini Rajakulasingam. Sixteen trustees voted in favour of the motion and five voted against it. The move addresses an issue important to the area's South Asian diaspora, particularly the Indian and Hindu communities. It comes weeks after Seattle became the first US city to outlaw caste discrimination after a city council vote. India's caste system is among the world's oldest forms of rigid social stratification. "This motion is not about division, it is about creating healing and empowering communities and providing them safer schools that students deserve," Rajakulasingam said. Rajakulasingam called for a partnership between the human rights commission of Ontario, Canada's most populous province, and Toronto's school board. The caste system dates back thousands of years and allows many privileges to upper castes but represses lower castes. The Dalit community is on the lowest rung of the Hindu caste system and have been treated as "untouchables." Caste discrimination was outlawed in India over 70 years ago, yet bias persists, according to several studies in recent years, including one that found people from lower castes were under-represented in higher-paying jobs. Debate over the caste system's hierarchy is contentious in India and abroad, with the issue intertwined with religion. Some people say discrimination is now rare. Indian government policies reserving seats for lower-caste students at top Indian universities have helped many land tech jobs in the West in recent years, besides a quota in government jobs. Activists opposing caste discrimination say it is no different from other forms of discrimination like racism and hence should be outlawed. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Toronto school board becomes first in Canada to recognise caste discrimination

The Seattle City Council on Tuesday added caste to the city's anti-discrimination laws, becoming the first U.S. city to ban caste discrimination and the first in the world to pass such a law outside South Asia.

Seattle bans caste discrimination: Cheers and celebrations pour in

Google was accused of having hostile and casteist workplace practices after a talk by Dalit rights activist to Google News employees was cancelled by the tech giant, reports The Washington Post.

A Dalit rights activist based in the US&nbsp;and the founder and executive director of Equality Labs, a nonprofit that advocates for Dalits, Thenmozhi Soundararajan, was scheduled to give a talk to Google News employees for the Dalit History Month (April). However, it was cancelled after some of the employees expressed their apprehensions, the report said.

Some employees then began spreading misinformation against the activist, calling her “Hindu-phobic” and “anti-Hindu” in emails to the company’s leaders, the report said citing Google’s intranet and mailing lists and current Google employees.

Soundararajan then urged Google CEO Sundar Pichai to allow her presentation to resume, but her plea was ignored. This led some employees to conclude that Google was willfully ignoring caste bias, the report added.

“During this time, opponents to caste equity internally circulated disinformation about Soundararajan and Equality Labs to derail the civil rights event until its ultimate cancellation,” Equality Labs said in a statement.

“The movement towards caste equity is one rooted in love, empathy and justice,” said Soundararajan.

“I cannot find the words to express just how traumatic and discriminatory Google’s actions were towards its employees and myself, as the company unlawfully cancelled a talk about caste equity. Google must address the casteism within its workforce that allows for these attacks to occur and continue,” she said.

She also slammed Pichai and sought an answer from the Google CEO on the controversy.

“(He) is Indian and he is Brahmin and he grew up in Tamil Nadu. There is no way you grow up in Tamil Nadu and not know about caste because of how caste politics shaped the conversation,” Soundararajan told The Washington Post.

However, Google has denied these allegations.

“Caste discrimination has no place in our workplace. We also have a very clear, publicly shared policy against retaliation and discrimination in our workplace,” Google spokesperson Shannon Newberry told The Washington Post.

Following the incident, an Indian American employee, Tanuja Gupta, who works as the senior Google News executive and the one who invited Soundararajan to speak, resigned over the incident, according to a copy of her farewell email published internally on Wednesday and seen by The Washington Post.

In her June 1, 2022 resignation email to over 15,000, Gupta said, “Having been at the company for 11 years, I had many reasons for leaving, but this was the only one I needed. In the process of doing my job and promoting caste equity at the company, I saw four women of colour harassed and silenced.”

“The reality is that these are not isolated events, this is a pattern.”

(With inputs from agencies)

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Google was accused of having hostile and casteist workplace practices after a talk by Dalit rights activist to Google News employees was cancelled by the tech giant, reports The Washington Post.

Google was accused of having hostile and casteist workplace practices after a talk by Dalit rights activist to Google News employees was cancelled by the tech giant, reports The Washington Post. A Dalit rights activist based in the US and the founder and executive director of Equality Labs, a nonprofit that advocates for Dalits, Thenmozhi Soundararajan, was scheduled to give a talk to Google News employees for the Dalit History Month (April). However, it was cancelled after some of the employees expressed their apprehensions, the report said. Some employees then began spreading misinformation against the activist, calling her “Hindu-phobic” and “anti-Hindu” in emails to the company’s leaders, the report said citing Google’s intranet and mailing lists and current Google employees. Soundararajan then urged Google CEO Sundar Pichai to allow her presentation to resume, but her plea was ignored. This led some employees to conclude that Google was willfully ignoring caste bias, the report added. “During this time, opponents to caste equity internally circulated disinformation about Soundararajan and Equality Labs to derail the civil rights event until its ultimate cancellation,” Equality Labs said in a statement. “The movement towards caste equity is one rooted in love, empathy and justice,” said Soundararajan. “I cannot find the words to express just how traumatic and discriminatory Google’s actions were towards its employees and myself, as the company unlawfully cancelled a talk about caste equity. Google must address the casteism within its workforce that allows for these attacks to occur and continue,” she said. She also slammed Pichai and sought an answer from the Google CEO on the controversy. “(He) is Indian and he is Brahmin and he grew up in Tamil Nadu. There is no way you grow up in Tamil Nadu and not know about caste because of how caste politics shaped the conversation,” Soundararajan told The Washington Post. However, Google has denied these allegations. “Caste discrimination has no place in our workplace. We also have a very clear, publicly shared policy against retaliation and discrimination in our workplace,” Google spokesperson Shannon Newberry told The Washington Post. Following the incident, an Indian American employee, Tanuja Gupta, who works as the senior Google News executive and the one who invited Soundararajan to speak, resigned over the incident, according to a copy of her farewell email published internally on Wednesday and seen by The Washington Post. In her June 1, 2022 resignation email to over 15,000, Gupta said, “Having been at the company for 11 years, I had many reasons for leaving, but this was the only one I needed. In the process of doing my job and promoting caste equity at the company, I saw four women of colour harassed and silenced.” “The reality is that these are not isolated events, this is a pattern.” (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

Google accused of hostile and casteist workplace practices: Report

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