Actually Hindu scriptures do not explicitly ban people from using images and finite objects, but what they do say is that they become worthless to the Self-realised individual.
For those who have not yet achieved Self-realisation, images and objects act as a mere support which can then be rejected as a person evolves spiritually. The scriptures say "Material worship is the lowest stage; mental prayer is the next stage, but the highest stage is when the Lord has been realised."
As someone who used to use images for worship (but who does
not any more), let me tell you that Hindus do not say "Oh piece of marble, I love you! You have infinite powers so please help me overcome my issues!"
Images and objects act merely as tools and/or as a focal points for the Hindu to worship the Absolute or remind them of It.
As we are finite beings with finite minds, the majority of us cannot think of the Infinite without using something finite, be it a symbol, book, object, image or whatever.
Think about it. In a maths or physics lesson, if I asked you to put infinity of the board, you would put this:
∞But that is not infinity, is it? It's just the number 8 that had too much to drink last night and has fallen over!
See what you have done? You've used a mere finite symbol to represent the infinite. And without this symbol you cannot even conceptualise infinity. So much of your calculus, geometric progressions, summations etc. would not be possible without this mere finite symbol.
You might be interested to read this incident between Swami Vivekananda and the Maharaja of Alwar in 1891 [it's in the spoiler]
If you point out that the Hindu usage of images is bad, I would present to you something even worse - idolatry of the book (by this I am
not referring at all to the elevated status you give to the SGGS).
By idolatry of the book, I mean when you say "it is written in my book, it is the word of God and therefore it is fixed, you cannot question it. Everything, be it religion, philosophy, science etc has to conform to the book" as certain other religions do, it means that you are stopped from thinking for yourself!
A Hindu can still think for himself/herself and discard those images when they have no need of them, but the tyranny of the book is far worse because it kills someone's ability to think for themselves.
It is true that aspects of Hinduism have been corrupted - it has a natural tendency to get so, but it also has the ability to be reformed many times (by non-Brahmins in perhaps far greater measure than Brahmins), it is being reformed and will continue to do so.
And yes, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism should be recognised as separate religions in India's constitution.
However, I disagree with personal laws in India being different according to religious community (i.e.: separate laws for Hindus, separate ones for Muslims or Sikhs, or Christians etc.).
There should be a Uniform Civil Code i.e.: one set of secular laws which are applicable to everybody regardless of religious community (like there is here or in the USA).