Fresno becomes second US city to ban caste discrimination

Washington: Fresno in California has become the second US city to ban caste discrimination after the City Council unanimously passed a resolution by including two new protected categories in its municipal code, according to a media report.

Earlier in February, Seattle outlawed caste discrimination, becoming the first US city to do so, followed by the US state of California, where a bill was passed in September by the state assembly for the same.

The move comes amid a nationwide civil rights movement, led mostly by South Asian Americans who come from caste-oppressed backgrounds, NBC reported on Friday.

"I’m proud of our City for once again, raising the bar on civil rights protections,” Fresno City Council Vice President Annalisa Perea was quoted as saying by the television network.

“While we acknowledge that discrimination won’t end overnight, our City took bold action by passing this anti-discrimination policy to strengthen civil rights protections against caste discrimination," Perea said.

The caste equity leaders are in the third week of a hunger strike to push California Governor Newsom to sign Senate Bill 403, which would add caste to the state’s anti-discrimination policy.

They will continue the strike until the bill becomes law, which could be as late as October 14, the report said.

Meanwhile, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has filed a lawsuit against the California Civil Rights Department, alleging that it has violated several constitutional rights of Hindus living in the state.

The amended complaint alleges that the department has violated the rights of Hindus in California by wrongly asserting that a caste system and caste-based discrimination are integral parts of Hindu teachings and practices.