The paradigms of development in pre-colonial, colonial, post-colonial and in neo-liberal India have always been the area of academic and actional interest. Development as democracy, Development as Freedom and Development as Liberation along with ‘rights perspective’ and ‘class perspective’ can be found as theoretical frame of reference in the area popularly known as Development Studies. In neo-liberal era, the attack on sovergeneity of state by global market forces, the rise of identity politics and organized collective mobilization of rising middle class with the active involvement of civil society organizations have stimulated us to have serious discourse on ‘politics of development’. Although politicised religion gained further momentum under BJP rule even secular parties such as the Congress Party, which has ruled India for more than four decades, has found the idea of scoring quick electoral gains by tampering with secular principles and institutions too tempting to resist. Hence, this well-knitted; well-researched and well-debated work on this subject is highly academic and research quality will be appreciated and accepted by students; scholars and teachers.