Central law to protect journalists on the anvil

Taking lessons from the murder of investigative journalist J Dey in Mumbai recently, government today said it was planning to bring a central law to protect journalists.Law minister M Veerappa Moily said that he has already directed the legislative department to prepare a draft bill to protect journalists and their properties, such as cameras."Dey's murder is a matter of grave concern. We need to have a sense of security among journalists," he said.The Union minister said Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had spoken to him recently on the issue."I am in touch with information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni on the issue," he said adding that there was a need to have fast track courts to deal with such crimes so that justice can be delivered without much delay.He said better equipped forensic labs and policemen with better investigative skills were needed.Chavan had yesterday said there was a broad consensus in the state Cabinet on a law to protect journalists, but an enabling provision needed to be included in it to address complaints against the media as well.The main provision of the draft bill is to make attacks on journalists a non-bailable offence.