Twenty-year-old Shehbaz, an autorickshaw driver from Mandi Ahmedgarh, has brought home an idol of Lord Ganesha and plans to keep it for 10 days before immersing it on September 25 as part of the Ganesh Utsav rituals.Shehbaz said his parents had given him the approval of worshipping a Hindu God.“My parents have no issue with keeping the idol of Ganesha at home, but relatives do oppose my worshipping gods belonging to another religion. I am going to keep Lord Ganesha for the next 10 days and immerse the idol on September 25 as per the ritual,” he said.Talking to The Tribune, Shehbaz said he had been taking part in Ram Leelas held in and around Mandi Ahmedgarh.“I have played the role of Sita and many other characters in Ram Leela, and I love performing those roles,” he said.He had earlier kept an idol of ‘Laddoo Gopal’ (Lord Krishna) at home and prayed to it daily. After the idol was damaged about five years later, he left it at a temple.Shehbaz said his devotion to Hindu deities did not mean he had abandoned Islam. He said he offered namaz daily and followed Islamic rituals.“Religion teachers us love, not hatred. No religion teaches us to be divided; it is all in our minds,” he said.He recalled that his relatives had strongly objected when he first performed puja during the Ganesh Utsav. However, he remained firm in his decision and said his parents supported him.“My relatives were red-faced when I first performed the puja during Ganesh Utsav. However, I was firm in my decision and stood by it without fearing the consequences. My parents supported my decision. Many of my Hindu friends also come and join me during the prayers. I believe that my faith and the blessings of Allah give me the strength to celebrate a Hindu festival without any hindrance,” he said.