Ten central trade unions on Thursday sought the government’s intervention to check the harassment of health workers who are the fighting force to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

The Congress-affiliated Indian National Trade Union Congress (Intuc), CPM-affiliated Centre of Indian Trade Unions (Citu) and the CPI’s All India Trade Union Congress (Aituc) wrote to labour minister Santosh Gangwar about attacks on anganwadi and Asha workers.

Citu secretary A.R. Sindhu said that Asha workers working under the National Health Mission and anganwadi workers under the Integrated Child Development Services were going door to door, collecting information, creating awareness, cleaning villages and keeping track of those under quarantine. These workers are being attacked by the public, who see them as potential carriers of the virus, he said.

“In the past one week, Asha and anganwadi workers have been attacked in Bihar, Haryana, Indore and Hyderabad. Besides, doctors are being attacked,” Sindhu said.

Aituc general secretary Amarjeet Kaur said the government has issued an advisory for the protection of health workers, but it is not being implemented on the ground.