There are no "religious studies" departments in major Indian universities. Indian "social science" academia has never really studied the category of religion. As a result, they simply regurgitate templates of religion assumed from the Western discourse with little understanding.

Also, as Balagangadhara has shown, "religion" simply does not exist in India. The Indian traditions and experience simply does not map to this category. So Indian intellectuals:
1. Are ignorant of what religion is
2. In their ignorance they map Indic traditions to religion.

Of course, "secularism" itself is based on the concept of religion. Since they don't understand religion, they also don't understand secularism. In other words they produce intellectual garbage on a daily basis. That garbage then finds itself into textbooks, schools and colleges.

The result is a complete mess and confusion of the Indian mind. The JNU-dharnas are the symptom not the cause.

When there is no intellectual foundation, all academic study is simply reduced to political slogan shouting. That is all the students are ultimately capable of.

By Arvind Sharma. Even a phrase to "change" one's religion assumes an Abrahamic notion. Religion is exclusive. As a Hindu I can easily have regard for Jesus, this is natural. But to "change" I must spit on Hindu gods. This is what "conversion" is about.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.infinityfoundation.com%2Findic_colloq%2Fpapers%2Fpaper_sharma2.pdf