HYDERABAD - The alleged slapping of a bank manager by Congress MP Manda Jagannatham has snowballed into a major row with bank employees in Andhra Pradesh taking to the streets demanding action against the politician even as he defended his action and refused to apologise.

Jagannatham, who represents Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha constituency, slapped Andhra Pradesh Grameen Vikas Bank (APGVB) manager Ravinder Reddy for allegedly not having released loans to beneficiaries of government schemes who belong to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Schedule Tribes (ST) in the last six months. The incident took place Monday at Uppununtala in Mahabubnagar district.

Television footage showed the MP slapping the manager more than once. However, the MP claimed that he resorted to violence when the bank branch manager did not speak to him properly over the phone. He told police that the bank official was drunk and made demeaning remarks about a Dalit MP.

“The bank manager was heavily drunk. He told me to do whatever I want to do against him. He doesn’t know the protocol of a MP,” said Jagannatham, while refusing to apologise.

He is likely to meet the chief minister later in the day to give his version of the incident.

The central leadership of the Congress party is also understood to have sought a clarification from Jagannatham.

On a complaint by the bank manager, the police registered a case of assault against the MP. The case was booked under sections 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 504 (insulting) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Police also booked a case against the bank manager under the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on a complaint filed by two supporters of the MP.

Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Wednesday refused to comment on the incident when reporters sought his reaction during the inauguration of the regional hub of National Security Guard (NSG) here.

Director General of Police S.S.P. Yadav said police were investigating the case.

It all began when the MP telephoned the bank manager Monday during a meeting with local officials and public representatives following a complaint that the bank official was not disbursing loans to SCs and STs.

Angry over the manager’s response, the MP left the meeting and rushed straight to the bank. He barged into the manager’s office and slapped him after a heated debate in the presence of media persons.

Talking to reporters, the MP alleged that the bank officials were creating hurdles in development projects for Dalits.

The bank manager retorted by saying that the MP’s behaviour was not befitting the position held by him. The bank employees have rallied behind him and have threatened to step up the protest.

The employees of the local branch staged a sit-in outside the bank and took out a procession, demanding action against the MP. Employees of other branches of the bank have also threatened to go on an indefinite strike.

The Andhra Pradesh Regional Rural Banks Employees Association (APRRBEA) demanded that the MP apologise to the manager for his action and also assure that he would not resort to such actions in future. The association has decided to take up the issue with the prime minister and Lok Sabha speaker.

Jagannatham was expelled from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) last year after he voted for the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government during the trust vote in parliament. He later joined the Congress party and was re-elected from Nagarkurnool in the recent elections.