California governor vetoes bill banning caste discrimination

California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have banned caste discrimination in the state.
The bill aimed to add caste as a protected category to California's civil rights laws, but Newsom argued existing laws already banned such discrimination.
The caste system is a hierarchical social division originating in Hindu culture that assigns inherited status.
While the bill had support from Dalit rights groups, it faced opposition from some Hindu organizations who argued it unfairly targeted their community.
The veto dashed hopes that California would become the first US state to explicitly ban caste discrimination.