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Assembly election in Gujarat will be held as scheduled next month, despite the recurrence of violence in Ahmedabad, Minister of State for Home I D Swami said in Chennai on Friday.
Inaugurating a two-day seminar on terrorism-related issues, he said both the Centre and the Gujarat government were committed to ensure peace in the state.
The Centre has already sent 200 companies of paramilitary troops to the state for election-duty, and will send more, if needed.
Referring to Jammu and Kashmir he said, the Centre would extend help to Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's government to crush terrorism.
"The Centre has given the states an arm to fight terrorism, and it is for them to use it or not," he said referring to Mufti government's decision not to invoke the Prevention of Terrorism Act. "But if they do it in a hurry, they may regret later."
Swami said the controversy about the encounter at Delhi's Anzal Plaza last Sunday could demoralise the police.
He described the anti-conversion law in Tamil Nadu as 'a step in the right direction'.
He promised help in securing the release of former Karnataka minister H Nagappa, who has been abducted by forest brigand Veerappan.
Also Read: Gujarat Election 2002 The Abduction of Nagappa
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