Import foreigners en masse and you import their culture, good or bad. The state of California, which is home to about six hundred thousand Asian Indians, is on the verge of adding civil rights protection to a new oppressed group: the Dalits, also known as “Untouchables.”
Recognition of, and consequent avoidance of, the Untouchable caste has been a part of Indian culture for thousands of years. Now that a significant population of Indians has relocated to America, and in particular to California, it appears they have brought their prejudices along with them. Who knew?
The NBC Bay Area website reported last week that the California state legislature had “overwhelmingly passed legislation that would add caste as a protected category under the state’s anti-discrimination laws.” The bill was supported by Equality Labs, a non-profit Dalit civil rights organization that promotes pro-Dalit causes such as Dalit History Month. (It’s the month of April, in case you’re wondering. Founded in India and based on the U.S. Black History Month, it has come to California and no doubt will be coming soon to everywhere near you.)
A Dalit activist and former Google employee testifying before a legislative committee in July recounted her experience of caste discrimination at the hands of her Google (Indian, non-Dalit) managers. During Dalit History Month in 2022, the whistleblower had invited the founder of Equality Labs to speak, to publicize the plight of Dalits within the Google workforce. According to her, Google quashed the invitation and accused her of creating a “disruptive workplace.” In response, she quit and — you guessed it — enrolled in law school.
For its part, Google management offered this:
Caste discrimination has no place in our workplace … we made the decision not to move forward with this proposed talk which was pulling employees apart rather than bringing our community together …”
The Googlers are right. “Pulling apart” is the role of government, and the California State Assembly is doing its job. Soon, Gov. Newsom will get his chance to add a wholly new oppressed class to the state’s growing list of clients in what will no doubt be a proud moment.
For more, see www.nbcbayarea.com.