PRESS RELEASE
U.S Federal Court Upholds CSU’s Policy Protecting Discrimination Based on Caste
Court Rejects Spurious Right-Wing Argument that Caste Protections Violate Religious Practice
For Immediate Release
Ambedkar King Study Circle – Mar 17, 2025
Email: ec@akscusa.org | Phone: +1-831-200-3282
The following statement, written by Ambedkar King Study Circle, California, is released with the support of all the members of the Savera coalition.
U.S Federal Court Upholds CSU’s Policy Protecting Discrimination Based on Caste
Court Rejects Spurious Right-Wing Argument that Caste Protections Violate Religious Practice
In October 2022, two California State University (CSU) professors filed a lawsuit against the CSU for including caste in its anti-discrimination policy, arguing it violated religious freedom and due process. This argument, experts noted, borrowed significantly from other right-wing attempts to weaponize religious freedom arguments to protect discriminatory practices.
In November 2023, a federal court dismissed the claim that the policy stigmatises Hindu practitioners, noting that the plaintiffs’ alleged injuries were conjectural or hypothetical. Now, the plaintiffs’ appeal has also been dismissed.
Appeal and Current Verdict
In December 2023, the plaintiffs appealed to a higher federal court in California, which issued its judgment on March 12, 2025. The court ruled that the university’s efforts to address caste discrimination do not violate religious rights, either before or after enforcement. Citing arguments from Hindu professors, the court noted that if Hinduism prohibits caste discrimination, the policy aligns with that principle, stating that “Appellants have alleged no injury to their ability to exercise their religion. Rather, their claims only indicate that they are offended by an alleged association of the caste system with Hinduism.” “How can Appellants be injured by a policy prohibiting conduct that they have no intention to engage in?” the court asked with apparent incredulity.
This is another major blow to Hindu supremacists’ attempts to deny legal protection against caste discrimination under the guise of violating religious rights. This verdict will have an impact on another federal case in which a Hindu supremacist organization sued the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) on similar grounds. With hearings completed, a judgment is expected soon.
Savera is clear that caste, whatever its genesis, has permeated all South Asian religions. Our focus must be on addressing this injustice, not debating its origins — legal redress is essential to combat this menace.
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