The story is not exactly as it seems at first blush.
The impetus for the whole thing began with a secular Leftists Hindu major local Congress Party member who had managed to wangle a deed to the PUBLIC LAND on the hill, for a Catholic outfit. I think that although he is a Hindu, at least nominally, the idea for the statue began with him. I think the whole maneuver is his in a play for the Christian vote in the area (for his Leftist Congress party) in the next elections.
If there is one thread that runs all the time through politics in India, it is corruption.
Of course since the BJP is stridently pro Hindu and nationalists it is easy and common for the media to place every sectarian encounter in India as part of the theme of the “over zealous Hindu nationalists”.
you have a lot of valid points