Amid the recent reports of tensions in Telangana, a Muslim man has installed a Ganesha idol in Hyderabad depicting communal harmony and brotherhood.
A resident of Ram Nagar Mohd Siddiqui has installed the Ganesh idol with his friends which was decorated with lavish lights and garlands.
Meanwhile, for 18 years Mohd Siddique had been installing Ganesh to give a message that everybody should live together.
“Even our friends don’t have the feeling of Hindu and Muslim, they come to our Masjid. My friends are Hindus and when I do iftar they participate in it. I take all the permission for the installation idol, I did an annadan. I have got a lot of development and the people in the area respect me a lot. The laddu is 251 kg and Hanuman and Garuda are flying atop. So we will immerse the idol on the 9th day,” Siddique said.
Moreover, one of Siddique’s friends Vardhan Reddy came from LB Nagar to take the blessings of lord Ganesh.
“Every year we come here and see the idol. Murthy is very good and after doing Pooja good things start to happen. A Muslim person installing an idol. Hindus and Muslims together are celebrating this festival and they come and celebrate our festivals. We go and celebrate their festivals,” Reddy said.
However, Venkatesh Sharma said that for 12 years on Ganesh Chaturthi the friends’ group has been installing the idol on Ganesh.
“It’s been 12 years since the Ganesh idol is being installed on Ganesh Chaturthi. All the friends celebrate together here. Siddiqui not only installs the Murthy but also participates in the poojas. Feels very nice. Without any feelings for the rich and the poor, they celebrate the festival. Here we can see no caste or religious differences,” Sharma said.