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On August 7th, 2024, the Philadelphia Bar Association (PBA) held an event titled “A Crash Course on Caste” presented by Professor Sonja Thomas and the South Asian Bar Association (SABA). Legal and constitutional experts have already weighed in on this topic and cited caste as a troublesome terminology given its complex history.
CasteFiles wrote to the PBA, strongly objecting to the blanket labeling of Indian Americans who object to adding caste as a protected category as “with caste privilege.” CasteFiles pointed out that there are many valid reasons (such as not being facially neutral and violating the equal protection of the law) for filing caste lawsuits that have nothing to do with "caste privilege."
CasteFiles wishes to acknowledge numerous unprivileged individuals and organizations, such as the Ambedkar-Phule Network of American Dalits and Bahujans (APNADB), a vibrant and inclusive community for Dalits and Bahujans of all ages and genders residing in North America. APNADB has been opposed to caste laws in Seattle and California even though its members do not have any “caste privilege.”
Shri Milind Makwana, a prominent Indian American Dalit activist fighting against the caste discrimination laws in Seattle and California, died of a heart attack as he passionately spoke against such caste laws at a city council meeting in Cupertino on July 18, 2023. CasteFiles had worked closely with Mr. Makwana to oppose the caste laws in Seattle and California that racially profile Indian Americans.
Richa Gautam, Founder of CasteFiles said, “Sonja Thomas has frequently claimed without evidence that those opposing Caste law in the USA are automatically a privileged elite group. Mr. Makwana's passionate request to allow Hindu Americans a seat at the table played a big role in recognizing the pernicious impact of colonial terms such as caste.
Abhijit Bagal, Director of CasteFiles pointed out that Professor Thomas is a close associate and collaborator of Thenmozhi Soundararajan, founder and director of Equality Labs. Thenmozhi Soundararajan has a well-documented history of anti-Hindu hate speech, demonizing Hindu festivals like Holi, degrading Hindu scriptures, calling to demolish Hinduism, and manipulating data.
Legal counsel Sarah Chowdhury, president of the South Asian Bar Association, Chicago, (SABA Chicago), was fired by the Illinois Comptroller's Office on October 19, 2023, for making virulently Anti-Semitic remarks on social media. Subsequently, Sarah Chowdhury was removed from the position of president at SABA Chicago.
The “caste privileged” of the progressive imagination is little different from the Jew of the Nazi imagination in American Universities, Media, art, and popular culture. Anti-Semitism and Hinduphobia have been normalized under the guise of anti-Zionist and “caste privilege” or anti-caste movements in recent times.
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