San Francisco, California | April 9, 2026
A fresh legal battle over caste-based discrimination in the United States has intensified, with the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) moving the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals against California’s civil rights regulator.
The organization has accused the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) of improperly linking caste discrimination to Hinduism and unfairly targeting Indian and South Asian communities. In a reply brief filed on April 6, HAF urged the appellate court to remove procedural barriers cited by a lower court that had dismissed its earlier lawsuit.
According to HAF, the district court rejected the case without fully examining the substantive claims, prompting the group to seek relief at the appellate level.
Why the controversy erupted
The dispute stems from a complaint filed by the CRD against Cisco Systems and two of its former managers. The complaint alleged caste-based discrimination under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act.
The CRD had publicly stated that it was pursuing a case involving caste discrimination within the company. However, HAF argues that the agency’s framing repeatedly associated caste with Hinduism and Indian-origin employees, creating what it describes as a generalized and misleading narrative.
The foundation claims the complaint used the term “caste” in a way that implied systemic discrimination among Indian employees, placing responsibility on the employer to address it.
Allegations of bias and misrepresentation
HAF further contends that the agency’s actions were based on “racialized and inaccurate assumptions” about Hindus and Indians. The organization cited an earlier CRD statement that described India’s caste system as a rigid Hindu social and religious hierarchy.
Although the department later removed the controversial language and termed it irrelevant to the case, HAF maintains that the underlying concerns remain unresolved.
The group argues that even after revising its language, the agency continues to apply caste-related frameworks in a way that disproportionately impacts Indian, South Asian, and Hindu employees.
Broader implications beyond one case
HAF Senior Legal Director Needhy Shah warned that the issue extends beyond a single lawsuit. She said the case has raised concerns among Hindu American, Indian American, and broader South Asian communities across the United States.
Needhy Shah alleged that the civil rights agency may be using its enforcement authority in ways that could isolate minority groups it is meant to protect. She added that employers, businesses, and residents in California are closely monitoring the developments.
The organization also expressed concern that attributing caste discrimination to Hinduism could set a precedent, potentially exposing more Hindu groups or individuals to scrutiny in future cases.
