Ajay Jain Bhutoria, the former advisor to President Biden on the Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) National Leadership Council, expressed his “heartfelt thanks” to California Governor Gavin Newsom for vetoing a bill, which many claimed was ‘directed at Hindus and Indians’ in the US, and recognising Diwali as a statewide holiday. Taking to his official social media account, he shared a snap with the Democratic politician and a picture of the formal declaration announcing Newsom’s stance against the Senate Bill 509.

Indian-American ex-Biden advisor praises Newsom for vetoing SB 509

“Heartfelt thanks to Governor Gavin newsom @GavinNewsom for vetoing SB 509, preserving diaspora unity & aligning with federal frameworks,” the Indian-American entrepreneur wrote on X Monday night (US time). “Grateful for your leadership, listening to my request to veto this Bill , and recognizing Diwali as a CA state holiday uplifting our community.”

His post addressing the issue at hand came a week after Newsom made way for the Hindu ‘Festival of Lights, aka Diwali, to become an official holiday in California. The ex-Biden advisor had even lauded Newsom’s efforts at the time, writing, “Thank you @GavinNewsom Governor newsom for Making Diwali a California State Holiday by signing AB 268. Huge thanks to Assembly member @Ash_Kalra & @DrDarshanaPatel for championing this bill and taking to finish line , celebrating light, unity & our diverse communities.”

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Hindus, Indian-Americans and more against Senate Bill 509

Bhutoria’s celebration of the the 40th Californian governor followed Newsom vetoing the severely controversial SB 509, also called the “transnational repression training” bill. Originally introduced by Senator Anna Caballero and Assemblymember Dr Jasmeet Bains, the bill in question was highly contested and opposed by “coalitions of Hindu, Indian American, Jewish & law-enforcement organizations for its vague terminology and because it defined TNR in a way that could label advocacy against the terrorism-linked Khalistan movement as acting as an ‘agent of a foreign government,'” according to the Hindu American Foundation.

California Gov Gavin Newsom’s statement on the controversial bill

Releasing an official statement of his declaration on the matter, Governor Newsom wrote on Monday that he would need for the collaborative consultation with the Office of Emergency Services and the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) for better input so that a vaguely stated bill doesn’t target a particular community.

“While I appreciate the author’s intent to enhance the state’s ability to identify and respond to transnational repression, this issue is best addressed through administrative action in coordination with federal agencies,” he added in his statement. “By codifiying definitions related to this training, this bill would remove the state’s flexibility and ability to avoid future inconsistencies related to this work, especially since no unified federal definition exists.”

Hindu communities applaud Newsom

The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) have since hailed Newsom’s decision as a “victory for equality before law and strike against those who misuse their institutional positions and access to bias state institutions into furthering their own personal ideological preferences.” The group further went on to applaud Ajay Jain Bhutoria’s (among others) continued efforts and advocacy to get this bill vetoed.

They also noted, “The introduction and passage of bills that seek to discriminate between different groups of California residents needs to stop. We demand all the lawmakers who voted for this bill to instead focus more on crimes that are actually happening in California.”

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What is Senate Bill 509?

Back in March, Anna Caballero’s office pushed out a news release titled, “California Takes a Stand against Transnational Repression with SB 509, New Legislation to Strengthen Protections for Diaspora Communities Targeted by Foreign Governments.” The senator backed introduced to so-called bill as a “critical measure to address the growing threat of transnational repression in California.”

Her office defined “transnational repression” as efforts made by international governments to “intimidate, harass, threaten, or harm individuals living outside their home country, often targeting dissidents, activists, journalists, or marginalized communities.” Consequently, the Californian senator said, “By requiring the Office of Emergency Services (OES) and the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to develop specialized training for law enforcement, this bill will equip officers to recognize, document, and respond to the growing threat posed by foreign governments targeting diaspora communities.”

Among several other Hindu communities, CoHNA had spoken out against the bill, urging officials to oppose it. Since it originally cleared the House after 21 abstentions, the Hindu group voiced its fear over SB 509 potentially harming “immigrant-heavy communities,” and going against the state’s “California for All” promise.