Hinduism Redefined

Been reading BBC again.

Much to the surprise of the Hindutva supporters here in California (after the textbook kerfuffle), apparently there are Dalits in India who feel a bit discriminated against from time to time. In the traditions of religions everywhere, some of the Dalits have been converting to other religions. This has been going on for some time. I also know that official steps to combat this exodus of people have been made by the Indian government.

What does amuse me is that, apparently to reduce the numbers involved in "Hindu Flight", the state of Gujarat has classified both Jainism and Buddhism as branches of the Hindu religion.

I know the intent deals with the Indian branches of Buddhism, but now I have the image in my head of some poor Indian guru climbing up a mountain in Japan to converse with his brother-in-religion, a Zen monk, and asking him:

"What is the essence of Hinduism?"

"Why, no essence whatsoever."

For some reason this cracks me up. Does this make me evil or just strange?