Ever since caste became an issue of political importance in the USA, there has been a growing demand for legislations that could legally tackle caste based discrimination. In a victory for the civil rights groups, the city of Fresno, California has banned caste discrimination. The Fresno City Council unanimously passed a bill on the 28th of September to legally curb this form of discrimination. It became the second city after Seattle to officially ban caste based discrimination.
The movement was led by thousands of Sikhs and people from the Oaxacan community from Mexico who are subjected to a similar form of discrimination commonly referred to as ‘casta’. Both these communities have been working as farmers or farm workers in the city for decades.
The issue of caste discrimination became hot in the region when some Council members of the city hurled racist abuses at people from the Oaxacan community. Relating to the plight of their fellow Mexican friends, Sikhs also joined the movement to put an end to such discrimination.
California has already passed a bill that bans any form of discrimination based on caste. However the bill is waiting for the Governor’s approval to become a law. The bill has been opposed by some Hindu Nationalist groups who are concerned that it might show Hindus in the wrong light, hurting religious sentiments.
