In opposition to caste legislation

Jun 15, 2023
Jun 15, 2023 Updated Apr 13, 2025
6

Editor,

California’s proposed caste legislation Senate Bill 403 effectively targets Hindus. The bill describes, as its targets, certain “communities of religious practice” and confesses that it targets the South Asian diaspora.

(6) comments

Yosemite Says Jun 15, 2023 9:17am

Per NBC News on May 11, "Sen. Aisha Wahab’s bill, SB 403, flew through the Senate in a 34-1 vote."

Dirk van Ulden Jun 15, 2023 10:01am

Mr. Amin - I don't understand the provisions of this bill and I surmise most of us don't. It would be helpful to elaborate on your opposition. The inner-relationships among the plethora of Indian ethnic groups are not very well known among many Americans who are not of Indian-decent. Other demographics seem to get all of the attention so it is likely long overdue to publicize your relevant issues.

Dilip Amin, Ph. D. Jun 15, 2023 10:45am

Dirk van Ulden (above) raised an excellent point that most Americans (including Hindu-Americans from India and my children), don't understand this caste bill.

We all are erroneously taught in 6th grade that CASTE = HINDUS. Furthermore, we all agree that it is good to stop any kind of discrimination, including for caste. Why then am I against the bill as is?

SB 403, even effectively targeting Hindus, there is no mention of the word "Hindu" in the bill. Actually the bill mentions all people of color (Asians, South Americans and Africaners) except Whites and Middle East people. ***This is deception***. Either Senator Wahab 1) adds "Hindu" in the bill or 2) removes the "Caste" word from the bill; since in Americans' mind, CASTE = HINDUs. Senator Wahab, be honest!

Making laws that are not facially neutral is unconstitutional. Would you support a bill that targets Mexicans as XXXX and African-Americans as YYYY, even if that is universally accepted? Why would I tolerate a bill potentially targeting my great grandchildren as CASTEISTs?

It is very hard to be a Hindu in America. Dirk, I hope you will take time to understand my pain.

Dirk van Ulden Jun 15, 2023 12:32pm

Dilip - I have several neighbors who are immigrants from India. It seems that they are not comfortable talking about this caste system with the uninitiated. In fact most of my neighbors, including ourselves, are immigrants from all over the world. Most are not willing or even interested in discussing the inherent issues of their native countries. Being from the Netherlands, most people associate that country with tulips, windmills and drugs. How to even explain that there are 17 million Dutchmen who have nothing or little to do with such attributes? My understanding of the cast system is based on a social order and categories that exist in other cultures as well. Most immigrants come here to escape from that needless and useless burden but apparently not all are willing to give that up. Churchill had an American mother. He has said that the beauty of this country is that we have the opportunity to unload all of the restrictions that come with traditions but can keep the ones that are constructive. Apparently, not every immigrant realizes the freedom that coming here can provide.

Dilip Amin, Ph. D. Jun 15, 2023 2:28pm

Dear Dirk, I am not saying at all that Caste was not and is not an issue in India. The same way, Sunni-Shia-Ahmadi-Ismaili and Dutch as you mentioned have potential discrimination potential in America. I have spent my first 26 years in India and have NEVER come across a caste issue. Rest of my 45 years in American corporate life, again, I never ever saw a hint of caste issues. There is not a single convicted caste discrimination case in entire American history. Why is there an urgency to make laws against Hindus now? If California wishes to make preventive laws, make it against all. Alternatively, remove the word ‘CASTE’ and make the law facially neutral. Today, 38% of Hindus marry interfaith in America. Our second generation are almost part of this melting pot, America, and have least to do with systems in their parent’s home country. In spite of all these, SB 403 could bring lawsuits on any innocent Hindu manager, like it happened in the case of CISCO (read www.CasteGate.org). There are ancestry based current laws to cover if there is any caste related issue, like happened in CISCO. We do not need a new law now. I feel the ***bill’s intentions are bad*** and most Americans blindly support it because they are against 'discrimination'; without realizing that SB 403 ITSELF IS DISCRIMINATORY to start with. I wish SB 403 gets revised.

Dilip Amin, Ph. D. Jun 15, 2023 11:02am

SB 403 is very confusing, even for those who tried to read a little more on it. To clarify my views, I have prepared this 4 min video, I hope you will view and comment on it https://youtu.be/A3lgyysF5v8.

Also read these articles: @@1@@ Dean and Professor of Law https://verdict.justia.com/2023/05/16/preliminary-thoughts-on-potential-constitutional-flaws-in-sb-403-a-california-proposal-to-prohibit-caste-discrimination @@2@@ Barbara McGraw https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/04/20/opinion-caste-bill-would-harm-californias-south-asian-communities/ @@3@@ Hindu American Foundation https://www.hinduamerican.org/say-no-to-sb403 @@4@@ CISCO case https://castegate.org @@5@@ My concerns https://indiawest.com/caste-cal-state-versus-my-great-grandchildren/ . California, if you are not 100% sure about it, pause the bill SB 403. It is wrong to target helpless new immigrant minorities.

Thank you for visiting the Daily Journal.

Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!