Enact stringent laws to curb attacks on scribes: Anna to PM

In the wake of the killing of crime reporter J Dey, Gandhian Anna Hazare on Saturday shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking enacting of stringent laws to curb attacks on journalists.

Hazare said growing attacks on journalists, who are considered to be the fourth pillar of democracy, is a serious threat to India''s democratic structure.

"Stringent laws will need to be enacted as soon as possible to curb out such kind of heinous attacks," Hazare said in the letter.

Dey, Mid Day's editor (special investigations), was murdered in Mumbai last week by unidentified persons.

Taking lessons from the murder of Dey, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily has said it was planning to bring a central law to protect journalists.

He said he has already directed the Legislative Department to prepare a draft bill to protect journalists and their properties, such as cameras.