Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has filed a motion in Santa Clara County Superior Court to intervene in the case of California Department of Fair Employment and Housing v. Cisco Systems.
California argues that Cisco failed to address discrimination against one of its engineers by co-workers on the basis of his presumed caste.
California goes on to state that caste is “a strict Hindu social and religious hierarchy” and therefore an integral part of Hindu teachings and practices.
HAF has said that by framing its argument in this way, California is attempting to do what the Constitution clearly says it cannot, HAF said: defining Hindu religious doctrine for Hindus.
The HAF argues that there is no role for government to define our religious beliefs, whether it be Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity or any other in the United States and that the Constitution expressly prohibits it.
This inaccurate and unconstitutional definition by California state would perversely lead to increased targeting of and discrimination against Indian-origin, and particularly Hindu workers, the HAF stated.