?Healing touch? hits HP poll hurdle

Compulsions of coalition politics appear to have overshadowed Mufti govt's 'healing touch' policy with release of more than 100 jailed militants deferred once again under pressure from Congress.

The compulsions of coalition politics appear to have overshadowed the Mufti government's "healing touch" policy, with the release of more than 100 jailed militants deferred once again, reportedly under pressure from the Congress.

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The coalition's joint screening committee, which was to meet on Tuesday to clear the releases, put off the meeting. This is the second postponement in a fortnight. A meeting scheduled for January 17 was also postponed.

But there was an excuse then. The fog was said to have prevented Rakesh Ahuja, joint secretary of the Union Home Ministry (Kashmir affairs) from flying in for the meeting. Ahuja is one of the members of the panel headed by financial commissioner ( Home) S. D. Singh. This time, there was no such excuse.

It is pressure from the Congress that is said to have delayed the meeting once again. The Congress is worried about the impact ts on the Himachal polls.