Female medics need central law for safety, say doctors at Jantar Mantar

Doctors in the national capital gathered at Jantar Mantar Saturday to protest against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a Kolkata hospital, asserting that without a central law to protect healthcare workers, female doctors would never feel safe during work.

Protestors began gathering at Jantar Mantar from 3 pm onwards to demand justice for the victim of the incident at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and press the government to expedite the enactment of the Central Healthcare Protection Act, doctor associations said.

Dr Deepika, a protesting doctor, told PTI, "I will never allow my daughters to become doctors here... Can you imagine that all of us female doctors are scared now? We feel fearful while working, and we need protection. Can you imagine if she was raped and murdered at her workplace?"

"We want protection so that all female doctors can work again without fear," she said.

Chairman of Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) Rohan Krishnan said they ha