The government on Friday said that it will take all necessary steps to protect the liberty and rights of the Sikhs in the Kashmir valley. The leader of the Lok Sabha Mr. Pranab Mukherjee 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. Earlier, raising the issue, Ratan Singh Ajanala of the Shiromani Akali Dal strongly protested against the reported threat to over 60 thousand Sikhs in the valley, to embrace Islam or face consequences. He said that the Sikhs have fought courageously in the war against Pakistan and China, will not allow such a thing to happen. Mirza Mohd. Beg of the National conference party said that the reported threat is against the ethos of Kashmiris.