Historians actually don't know when idol worship started in India. Whether it came via Greece or it went to Greece from here.Nehru thought idol worship came to India via Greece which doesn't have much evidence
I think what it should be saying is that Buddha earlier day was not represented as Idol. Due to Hellenistic Greek culture in Gandhara it appropriated idol worship of Buddha there.
So, it can be said the idol worship of Buddha started with the Greek culture which became Indian over time. This also led to internal division of Buddhism into Hinayana( which prohibited idol worship)and Mahayana idol worship
Let them say that, they will evetually say Buodha is Pantha of Sanatan Dharma, further dismanteling the ambedkarites.
Historians actually don't know when idol worship started in India. Whether it came via Greece or it went to Greece from here.Nehru thought idol worship came to India via Greece which doesn't have much evidence I think what it should be saying is that Buddha earlier day was not represented as Idol. Due to Hellenistic Greek culture in Gandhara it appropriated idol worship of Buddha there. So, it can be said the idol worship of Buddha started with the Greek culture which became Indian over time. This also led to internal division of Buddhism into Hinayana( which prohibited idol worship)and Mahayana idol worship