The California Civil Rights Department has voluntarily amended its 2020 complaint against Cisco Systems, stating that caste and caste-based discrimination are not an essential part of Hinduism, according to the Hindu American Foundation (HAF). The amendment follows a motion filed by the department in December, removing the assertion that caste is integral to Hindu religious teachings. While HAF sees this as a step forward in protecting the First Amendment rights of Hindu Americans, it highlights concerns about the department’s reliance on a flawed survey and its pursuit of the case based on what it deems false and xenophobic claims.