Minority groups in every society are determined by the social environment in which they exist.
Muslims and Christians are the two most prominent minority groups
in India.
Due to India's tumultuous relations with Pakistan,
Muslims—roughly 12% of the population—are regarded with distrust.
Outside of India, Christians and Muslims are seen as having
religious loyalties—Mecca for Muslims and Rome or Jerusalem for Christians.
Other religious groups, such as the Sikhs and Jains, who are
part of the Indian cultural tradition, have had quite different perceptions on
these two sects.
The Rashtriya Svayamsevak Sangh and its affiliates, as well
as other cultural and political organizations advocating Hindu nationalism
(Hindutva), have often emphasized the "otherness" of these people.
These groups' stated goal is to bring Hindus from various
areas, castes, and backgrounds together, yet they accomplish it via criteria
that exclude minorities.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.
