HYDERABAD/DELHI - Andhra Pradesh Congress MP Manda Jagannatham, who sparked off a controversy by slapping a bank manager, Wednesday expressed regret over the incident. The Congress called the MP’s behaviour “unfortunate”.

“I am sorry. I did not intend to slap him. I was trying to catch him by his shoulder. Accidentally, my hand touched his face,” he said.

“I regret the incident. If I am found guilty, I will apologise. I didn’t want to take the law in my hand,” Jagannatham, the MP from Nagarkurnool in Andhra Pradesh, told CNN-IBN television channel.

Earlier, Jagannatham had refused to apologise, alleging that the manager was in an inebriated state.

The parliamentarian had Monday slapped Andhra Pradesh Grameen Vikas Bank (APGVB) manager Ravinder Reddy for allegedly not having released loans to the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) beneficiaries of government schemes in the last six months. The incident took place at Uppununtala in Mahabubnagar district.

The Congress in New Delhi called the incident regrettable. The party’s national spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters: “It is unfortunate. People who occupy public offices must behave with restraint.”

Asked if the party envisaged any action against the MP, he said: “(Law Minister) Veerappa Moily, who is the Andhra Pradesh in-charge (of the Congress), has sought a report from the state unit. Once that report comes, the party has the mechanism to deal with it.”

The issue also triggered off a major row with bank employees in Andhra Pradesh taking to the streets and demanding action against the politician.

Television footage showed the MP slapping the bank 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,” Jagannatham had said earlier.

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

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.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy 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 exchange of words in the presence of media persons.

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 staff of the local branch staged a sit-in outside the bank and took out a procession, demanding action against Jagannatham.

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 the 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 and was re-elected from Nagarkurnool in the recent elections.