Voices: Reactions Post California Caste Bill Veto

India-West News Desk

SACRAMENTO, CA – Here is what they said after California Governor Gavin Newsom on October 7, vetoed SB-403, popularly known as the caste bill.

Ajay Shah, President, World Hindu Council of America:

When politically motivated California assembly and senate succumbed to an 18-year long systematic multi-pronged attack engineered by forces inimical to Hindus in various forms, Hindus kept their struggle for truth, justice and equality alive. Today, we thank Gov. Newsom for rejecting Hinduphobic SB-403.  SB-403 would have targeted Hindus kids in the elementary schools and Hindu professionals and business owners.  It would have led to the bullying of Hindu children and baseless and yet relentless persecution and prosecution of Hindu professionals as we have seen in the CISCO case.

We acknowledge the relentless work by thousands of volunteers who worked at the grassroots, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association and Asian American Store Owners Association, and other Hindu advocacy Hindu organizations for their work on creating awareness about SB-403. I want to especially remember community organizer Milind Makwana who sacrificed his life as he fought against this Bill.

Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Executive Director, Equality Labs:

We are very proud of the power and resilience that caste-oppressed people across the state have shown in their advocacy for SB403. While it is heartbreaking to receive the Governor’s veto, it is not a reflection of the incredible democratic power that our communities showed. We did the impossible. This is the first state bill caste-oppressed people organized and built amazing power and awareness on this issue. We made history conducting the first statewide advocacy days, caravans, and hunger strike for caste equity. We made the world aware that caste exists in the U.S. and our people need a remedy from this violence. A testament to our organizing 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. For as MLK said though it be long, the arc of the moral universe does eventually bend toward justice. Today, we are continuing our and our ancestors’ call for caste equity. Caste-oppressed people have been mobilizing for years to fight against this form of historical violence and will continue to do so. Due to the pathway paved by the brave civil rights leaders who came before us—Dr. Ambedkar, Rosa Parks, MLK, Savitribai Phule, and many more—we are one step closer to attaining true freedom and healing for we are stronger together.

Castefiles:

We dedicate this historic moment to the two Cisco managers Sundar Iyer and Ramana Kompella who were falsely implicated in the infamous and shocking Cisco case and who suffered a trial by media for three long years until the case was dismissed – showcasing prosecutorial abuse as researched by our sister website Castegate.org.

We also take this opportunity to dedicate the victory to the beloved and departed guiding light of the Indian American Community, Shri Milind Makwana who, as a tall and proud Dalit American, stood up for what’s right throughout the campaign against the Bill lamenting that the bill was ‘about us, without us’. He, unfortunately, passed on during the fight against Caste Bill SB403 but continues to inspire us.

We take this opportunity to celebrate the hard work and active participation of the entire Indian American community that rose in unison to fight the injustice of false cases like the Cisco case, the misleading and politically self-serving definition of Hinduism, and the general unconstitutionality of the bill. This victory belongs to all of us.

Given the rising bigotry and divisiveness of identity politics in the USA, through the artificial and arbitrary creation of caste and race cleavages, Castefiles will continue to stay vigilant and remain engaged in its research and activism.

Coalition of Hindus of North America:

“This is a victory for common sense” said Nikunj Trivedi, President of CoHNA. “We have always said that this was unnecessary since existing law adequately covers discrimination of all forms. We are delighted to see Gov Newsom reiterate that position. In fact, this is something Senator Wahab had also acknowledged in earlier versions of the bill.SB403 stirred strong passions among the Indian American and Hindu community who saw it as a targeted attack on a group of immigrants based on unproven accusations and unscientific studies by Hinduphobic organizations. CoHNA is glad to see that an attempt to single out and profile a community based on country of origin and faith has failed. It is indeed shocking that something so flawed came so close to being written into law and so much hate speech against a minority was platformed by the very institutions that need to guard against it.”

“This was a culmination of a united effort from the Hindu Community and other right thinking people” said Sudha Jagannathan a member of the Bahujan community and a Board Member of CoHNA, who led the CoHNA campaign against the bill.  “I feel personally vindicated today since I have always maintained that Hinduphobic groups who pushed this bill while claiming to represent the Dalit and Bahujan people like me, did not really speak for us.”

“Today marks a victory for common sense, for civil rights and for equality before law in California. It is a tribute to all who fought for justice and today’s news is dedicated to the spirit of Milind Makwana, the Dalit activist who died fighting against this law and who will live on in our hearts forever,” said Pushpita Prasad, CoHNA Board Member and longtime California resident. “Now we must make sure that such hate is not allowed to grow in state and educational institutions”, she added.

The win today is a culmination of the efforts of the entire Hindu American community, and the hundreds of organizations, temples, business and allies that fought against profiling based on birth.

Rakhi Israni, HinduPACT Executive Director, Legal: 

We are grateful to Governor Newsom for standing up for the privacy of Californians.  SB-403 would have made it easier for companies to collect and sell our personal information without our knowledge or consent. This is a critical issue, and we appreciate the Governor’s leadership in protecting our privacy. Governor Newsom’s veto of SB-403 is a victory for privacy. It sends a clear message that California will not stand for companies that track and sell our personal information without our consent. We urge the Legislature to sustain the Governor’s veto.

Tejal Shah, Convenor of Hindu Mandir Empowerment Council: 

The impact of SB-403 on the Hindu temples and culture would have been devastating. Chanting of Sanskrit mantras during prayers would have been construed as castetist act.  Today, we thank Gov. Newsom for protecting the right of Hindus to practice their religion in privacy and freely.

We are grateful to Governor Newsom for standing up for the privacy of Californians.  SB-403 would have made it easier for companies to collect and sell our personal information without our knowledge or consent. This is a critical issue, and we appreciate the Governor’s leadership in protecting our privacy. Governor Newsom’s veto of SB-403 is a victory for privacy. It sends a clear message that California will not stand for companies that track and sell our personal information without our consent. We urge the Legislature to sustain the Governor’s veto.

Deepti Mahajan, CHINGARI initiative of HinduPACT:

As Californians, we are thankful to Gov. Newsom for his veto of SB-403.  We hope that the California legislative energy can now be focused on issues that really matter to Californians, such as homelessness, rising inflation and law and order.  We are also hopeful that Gov. Newsom will lend his voice to global human rights issues such as the plight of minority girls in Pakistan.

Ajay Bhutoria, DNC Dy Finance Chair

This legislation was undeniably redundant and unnecessary, and I am pleased that our discussions in Chicago bore fruit. The veto of this bill is a testament to the power of constructive dialogue and collaboration.

Harman Singh, Sikh Coalition:

The Sikh Coalition was proud to sponsor this legislation, because we know firsthand the pain and trauma that comes with being targeted by hate, and the Sikh faith explicitly condemns caste discrimination. Accordingly, we joined more than 45 Sikh organizations and gurdwaras in California urging Gov. Newsom to sign this bill. While we are frustrated by this failure to take a meaningful step forward for the civil rights of all, we will continue to fight for legislation that protects all communities—including the Dalit community—from hate and discrimination.”

Kiran Kaur Gill, SALDEF:

This veto is a missed opportunity to protect millions of Californians from a form of discrimination that is deeply rooted in our society. 

Rasheed Ahmed, Indian American Muslim Council:

We will not let this denial of the realities of caste oppression in the US stop us from continuing to stand by our Dalit brothers and sisters in the pursuit of justice. We will continue to push for the end of caste discrimination in the US and worldwide.