New York Bills Adding ‘Caste’ As Protected Category Fail To Advance

India-West News Desk

ALBANY, NY – Two bills that sought to add ‘caste’ as a protected category under New York’s Human Rights Law did not advance during the 2026 legislative session, a development welcomed by the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA).

Senate Bill S.6531 and Assembly Bill A.6920, introduced in 2025 and 2026, respectively, were opposed by Hindu groups, who argued that the proposed language could disproportionately single out and harm New Yorkers of Hindu, Indian or South Asian descent.

“This is a win for advocacy and civil rights in the face of immense pressure from elite academics and activists with access to powerful media and political players,” Sudha Jagannathan, CoHNA’s director of government relations, said.

Jagannathan said she had met with New York lawmakers for the past two years to discuss the bills and share her experiences.

“As a Bahujan Hindu myself, I have held many meetings with lawmakers in New York for the past two years to share my story and to educate. I find it offensive that New York State would try to weaponize my identity against my own culture and traditions that provide me solace and strength,” she said.

Nikunj Trivedi, president of CoHNA, said the organization was concerned about the use of the term “caste” and its association with Hindu and Indian communities in the US.

“It is important to remember that caste is not a neutral word and due to decades of misinformation it is primarily associated with the Hindu and Indian communities in public perception,” Trivedi said.

He said the term is also used by what he described as ideological rivals on the far-right and ultra-left to portray Hindus as more likely to discriminate, oppress or maintain hierarchical social structures.

“This was yet another attempt to misuse a noble desire for social justice and subvert it to drive hate against a minority, like we saw in California in 2023,” Trivedi said.