Conspiracy hatched against Mamata government: Minister

KOLKATA: As the death of seven newborn babies in a Malda hospital today once again brought the state health department under spotlight, the newly-appointed health minister alleged a conspiracy had been hatched against the Mamata Banerjee government to harass her.

''There have been concerted attempts and a conspiracy too to harass the Mamata Banerjee government and the health department in particular is the target,'' minister of state for health Chandrima Bhattacharya told a TV channel.

Bhattacharya, who took oath as health minister on Monday, said she had sought information about the deaths in the Malda Sadar Hospital.

''I will inform the chief minister whenever I receive the information,'' she said.

Saying the chief minister was not scared of any 'machinations' from any quarter, she claimed, 'Due to her promptness, the child theft case in a state-run hospital was resolved in a short time."