Swami Agnivesh (claims) that Hinduism is not a religion but "a way of life" ... All the great religions of the world claim to represent 'ways of life', whether it is Islam, Christianity, Confucianism or any other. Each one of these has a certain view of God and the human condition which involves a philosophy of life. Saying that Hinduism is not a religion, therefore, is doing it a great disservice. Around the world Hinduism has been recognised as a religion, in the interfaith movement and also in those countries where Hindus are in a minority. By denying that Hinduism is a separate religion we are, in fact, treading upon dangerous ground

Once the basic concept has been accepted, it follows that in those States where Hindus are in a minority they should receive the same protection as is available to other minorities under the Constitution and the law. I have been raising this demand in Parliament for the last two decades, and I congratulate Prof. Tahir Mahmood, Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, for having taken a long overdue step in this direction. The broader question of social reform within Hinduism, and within other religions for that matter, is quite separate and needs to be tackled on a continuing basis.