Highlights:
- Hindu American Foundation seeks to revive lawsuit in appeals court
- Case challenges California Civil Rights Department over caste linkage
- Complaint tied to case against Cisco Systems
- HAF says caste framing unfairly targets Hindus and South Asians
- Ruling could impact US workplace policies on caste
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has approached a US appeals court, arguing that California’s civil rights regulator wrongly links caste discrimination to Hinduism and targets Indian and South Asian communities, in a case that could shape how caste is handled in US workplaces.
In a reply brief filed Monday (6) before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, HAF asked the court to remove what it called procedural barriers that led a lower court to dismiss its lawsuit against the California Civil Rights Department (CRD). The foundation said the district court failed to examine the substance of its claims.
HAF argues that the CRD’s enforcement approach “explicitly and implicitly links ‘caste’ to Hinduism and people of Indian or South Asian descent,” effectively singling out a minority community.
The case began with a high-profile complaint filed by the CRD against Cisco Systems and two managers, alleging caste-based discrimination. The regulator publicly said it had "Sue(d) Cisco Systems, Inc. and Former Managers For Caste-Based Discrimination" and filed the case under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act.
According to HAF, the CRD “doubled down” on its position that Cisco should have prevented caste discrimination "occurring within its South Asian Indian workforce." The foundation noted that the term "caste" appears repeatedly in the agency’s active complaint.
HAF claims the CRD’s framing relied on “racist and demonstrably false tropes” about Indians and Hindus. It cited the department’s earlier statement that “India’s caste system” is “a strict Hindu social and religious hierarchy.”
The CRD has since removed that wording and argued the issue is now moot. But HAF says the main concern remains.
“Removing the phrase ‘Hindu social and religious hierarchy’ doesn’t change the fact that the CRD is attempting to direct ‘caste’ policies solely at the company’s Indian, South Asian, and Hindu workforce,” the foundation said.
Needhy Shah, HAF Senior Legal Director, said the impact goes beyond this single case.
“The Hindu American, Indian American, and South Asian American communities are concerned, and if they aren’t, they should be,” Shah said.
“The CRD is attempting to wield its enforcement powers by singling out the very minority groups it is charged to protect. Californians are paying attention, and so are employers and businesses regulated by the CRD,” Shah added.
She also said, “The CRD is playing caste cop, blaming caste discrimination on Hinduism, and it’s only a matter of time until they identify their next Hindu target.”
HAF is represented by lead counsel Tim Travelstead of Narayan Travelstead Ku P.C..
The Ninth Circuit’s decision on whether to revive the case could have wider effects on how US civil rights law interprets caste and its link to religion or ethnicity, especially for Indian-origin communities.
Caste has become a debated issue in parts of the United States, especially in tech workplaces with large South Asian populations. Some advocacy groups support clear caste protections, while others argue these measures could stereotype entire communities.
