Sporting a long Islamic robe and traditional Qarakul headgear, a religious scholar in Kashmir is wandering the streets of the area he lives in. His madrassa is located there.

This is not a routine matter relating to the madrassa. The impending elections have a bearing on it.

He’s Gul Mohammad Bhat, popularly known as Gul Azhari, a Janata Dal (United) candidate contesting from the remapped Anantnag West constituency in southern Kashmir, which is going to the polls on September 18. Having a doctorate in Islamic philosophy from the leading Al-Azhar University, Egypt, Gul runs a Sunni madrassa,

Mosque sermons in Kashmir start addressing politics after long pause

Mosque sermons in Kashmir, for decades, have maintained a calculated distance from political topics. But that might be changing now, writes KALEEM GEELANI