Mamata Banerjee on Saturday expressed anguish at the recent "incidents" involving the health department as she addressed a meeting on hospital security, prompting some bureaucrats, political experts and political rivals to argue she had taken on more responsibility than she could handle.

"Why have so many incidents been happening in only one department, headed by me? This should also be looked into," a senior official present at the meeting quoted the chief minister as saying.

Mamata directly oversees at least seven departments, including health and home, thus functioning also as health and police minister.

From a junior doctor’s rape and murder at RG Kar Hospital last year to Wednesday’s alleged rape of a minor at SSKM Hospital, a series of crimes in the health sector has handed the Opposition with political ammunition ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.

At the meeting, which she joined virtually, Mamata reportedly asked why her government should be blamed for the actions of outsourced personnel.

The SSKM suspect is a casual Group D employee at the NRS Medical College and Hospital, hired through a third-party company.

A facility manager hired from a private company was arrested in September after a 29-year-old ward girl, appointed through the same contractor at the state-run Panskura Super Speciality Hospital in East Midnapore, accused him of raping her inside a hospital storeroom.

A Trinamool Congress source underlined how the Opposition was projecting the assaults at hospitals as a personal failure for Mamata, and made explicit what the chief minister’s comments seemed to hint at — a possible conspiracy.

“Police should investigate whether there’s a conspiracy behind the attempts to malign the chief minister and reap political dividends ahead of next year’s Assembly polls,” the source said.

Political experts, Opposition leaders and some senior bureaucrats blamed the incidents on issues such as inadequate appointments and a centralisation of power that has diluted the government’s focus on key departments like health and police.

A bureaucrat said that health and police were two of the most “people-centric” government departments.

Many chief ministers in many states have down the years kept the home portfolio for themselves — among them Jyoti Basu and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in Bengal — but they have generally put someone else in charge of the health department.

“The chief minister has to oversee all departments and developments, including political matters, while also heading the administration. Ideally, a crucial department like health should not remain with the CM,” the bureaucrat said.

“The police department, too, is an important pillar of governance. It’s always tough to focus on such important departments while serving as chief minister.”

He added: “Had there been a separate health minister, the chief minister would not have had to take the blame for incidents involving law and order or crime in the health sector.”

Political scientist Biswanath Chakraborty cited two key reasons for the problems afflicting the home and health departments.

“First, the health department has a large number of vacancies. The government has been outsourcing staff, which reduces accountability,” Chakraborty said.

“In the police, thousands of civic volunteers have been engaged. In both departments, political appointments have led to a crisis in quality service.”

A civic volunteer has been convicted in the RG Kar case.

“Second, Mamata Banerjee has never believed in decentralising power. No department can function independently without her approval,” Chakraborty said.

“One person can’t devote equal attention to all departments. Had responsibility been delegated, she would not have had to face such direct criticism from the Opposition.”

CPM central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said the chief minister should acknowledge that a series of crimes has blighted the government health sector, which she helms.

“She must understand that she has been failing repeatedly. At today’s meeting, she indirectly acknowledged the poor performance of the state’s health and police departments,” he said.

State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said the current Bengal government might well be described as a“lame duck”.

“What the chief minister said hardly matters to the people of Bengal,” he said.

Trinamool leaders argued that the chief minister’s expression of concern reflected her commitment to good governance.

“Whatever the chief minister said is very positive for a government that values accountability,” party spokesperson Arup Chakraborty said.

“She didn’t hesitate to question her own department over security lapses — that’s why the people of Bengal continue to appreciate and trust her leadership.”