The Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram on Friday assured the Rajya Sabha that the Centre and the state government will work together to provide full protection to the Sikh minority in Jammu and Kashmir. Responding to the concerns of the members Mr. Chidambaram said that the government is aware of the so called threats by some elements to them and nobody will be allowed to harm them. He also informed the House that the Chief Minister has assured him to this effect. Earlier, responding to the opposition, the External Affairs Minister, Mr. S M Krishna said that the government is committed to protect the minorities in every nook and corner of the country, including Jammu and Kashmir. He asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and there cannot be any talk about this position. Earlier, the proceedings in the House were disrupted today following a demand by the opposition parties that the Prime Minister should make a statement on the issue. The House witnessed two adjournments for 15 minutes each after Question Hour on the issue. The issue figured in the Lok Sabha as well. The leader of the House and the Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee said that it will take all necessary steps to protect the liberty and rights of the Sikhs in the Kashmir valley. He said that the entire country will rise to protect the interests of the Sikhs who have been contributing a lot to the country. He said that a small section of extremists and terrorists are trying to create communal trouble and nobody will be allowed to indulge in such acts. Newspaper reports, which were quoted by the opposition in both the houses, say sikh community has been threatened either to leave or embrace the religion of the majority community.Rajya Sabha member Saifuddin Soz has said that valley belongs as much to the Sikhs as to Muslims. He backed the home minister's statement in the house. He also added that the anonymous letter which has been sent to the home ministry posing threat to the Sikhs doesn't represent the Muslim intentions. He demanded a foolproof investigation into the matter and a strict punishment to the guilty.