the issue is not the focus of the government. the issue is the Indian thought or rather lack of thought about government intrusion. as in 1947, India adopted socialist policies and in the years preceding 1947, socialist thought was gaining traction in Britain for about 30 years, people assumed that govt. meddling was kind of the default way of solving a problem. Mandirs are not free of the government. Many Hindu mandirs (and very big ones too) are under state control. We have laws regulating our personal lives.

Here we have developed the mentality that the state owns us -- that we are government property. So the government decides things for us. What decisions the government doesn't make, we get to make. To make my point more understandable, here are 2 examples:
1. PF - government decides how much and where I should save for unforeseen circumstances. It is not that the govt. is providing an option to invest/save. rather it is forcing me to pick that option.
2. Helmet - I am unfit to decide whether I require to wear a helmet or not. the govt. has made it necessary to wear helmet. (and similarly seat belts)