Doctors have protested against violence in the past also. Thousands took out a ‘Rajghat Chalo’ march in Delhi in November, demanding an end to violence, and seeking stronger measures to counter it. On an average, India has seen at least one protest a month by doctors on this issue, showing how common the threat is, and how the existing measures are not enough. Many states have put in place laws that make violence against healthcare personnel a non-bailable offence, and prescribed fines and jail terms for offenders. However, not many convictions have taken place under these laws. Last month, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) called for central legislation and started a campaign for doctors’ safety, pointing out that the “ambience in our hospitals is one of fear and mistrust”. It has also opposed criminal prosecution of doctors in work-related cases.