See, you need to understand something. 'Religion' is not an Indian concept. It is an Abrahamic concept originating in the sandy deserts of Arabia with the old testament. The concept of Dharma is different from religion but because the Christian British couldn't understand what it meant, they categorized it as religion.
Today since we follow British given systems, we are called 'religions'. People have been brainwashed into believing that we are 'different religions' and the whole 'unity in diversity' concept. It was a divide and rule policy that the Nehru dynasty inherited from their foreign masters and implemented in our education system.
Dharma is like a tree. With different branches, Hindus, us, Sikhs and Jains follow paths that they feel right from the core of our culture.
It is like imagine the foreigners saying that 'Shaivite' is a different religion from 'Vaishnav' in you guys. Imagine if they had broken it down that way.
Since they couldn't do that, they separated us on broader pictures. We are no different from you. Our core learnings are very much a part of the wider Hindu philosophy. Unlike what Abrahamic and cultural marxists think, Dharma is not only worshipping Brahma, Vishnu or Shiv.
It is deeper than that and has a teaching behind it.
That is what the many Buddhas (yes, there are many Buddhas and Siddhartha Gautama is technically not the first, just like Mahavira was not the first tritankara of Jains) taught humanity. Hindus call it Godhood is present within atma. We call it nirvana . Today, these concepts are seen differently but are essentially same.
Balance. Peace. Realization. Humility. Service. Honour. Courage. Kindness. Compassion. Dedication. These are our teachings.
Now tell me where and how you and we are different? Tell me, how are you, we and Sikhs different here?
I don't want to deviate any further but it is a deep philosophy which will take time to make you and many other fellow Indians here.
We Buddhists traditionally are not different from. Please don't call those Ambedkarite politicians as Buddhists. They are nothing close to our faith. Traditionally, we were, we are and we will always be supportive of you people and with you Hindus.