"California Governor's Vetoing Sparks Controversy Over Caste, Condoms, and Healthcare"
South Asian activists expressed disappointment after California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have explicitly banned caste-based discrimination in the state. The bill, SB403, aimed to protect individuals from violence, harassment, and exclusion based on their caste. While some civil rights groups saw the bill as a necessary step towards fighting discrimination, other South Asian groups argued that it was racist and promoted falsehoods about Hinduism. Despite the veto, activists believe that the bill's introduction and progress signify a growing awareness of caste-based discrimination in California. Fresno has become the second U.S. city, after Seattle, to include caste in its discrimination law.