Cong HQ summons MP for slapping bank officer

NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD: With ‘slapgate’ involving a Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh snowballing into a major embarrassment for the party, the highcommand on Wednesday summoned the ‘errant’ MP to New Delhi for an explanation to be given to party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Nagarkurnool Congress MP Manda Jagannadham apparently slapped Ravinder Reddy, branch manager of Grameena Vikas Bank’s Uppunuthula branch in Mahabubnagar district, on Monday, as the latter wasn’t ‘‘releasing’’ loans for the Scheduled Caste beneficiaries.

While the MP has denied slapping the bank officer, TV grabs caught Jagannadham in the act. Jagannadham, who is from the SC community, quit TDP and joined Congress after voting for the UPA during the trust vote in Lok Sabha last year. With the Grameena Bank employees in Mahabubnagar resorting to an indefinite strike demanding an unconditional apology from the MP, AICC general secretary M Veerappa Moily telephoned Jagannadham and told him to be present in Delhi on Thursday morning. Following Sonia Gandhi’s instructions, Moily sought a report from PCC president D Srinivas who was in Delhi. ‘‘MPs are not supposed to take the law into their hands. Assaulting a bank manager is definitely wrong and unbecoming of an MP,’’ Moily told reporters in Delhi.

Agreeing with Moily, Srinivas said it was wrong on the part of Jagannadham to attack a bank employee. ‘‘I have submitted my report to the party. It’s up to the party leadership to act,’’ he said.

A source said the Nagarkurnool MP was also summoned by CM Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and reprimanded. YSR is said to have taken strong exception to his conduct. ‘‘How can an MP assault a bank manager?’’ the CM is said to have asked the MP.

Jagannadham stubbornly continued to claim that he didn’t assault the bank manager. ‘‘I am ready to tender an apology if it’s proved that I manhandled the bank manager,’’ he told reporters after meeting the CM.

Describing the incident as unfortunate, the MP said he only laid his hands on the manager’s shoulder, for he was abusing Dalits. ‘‘The manager was drunk and abusing Dalits. I was hurt by his provocative language which led to heated verbal exchanges. I told CM that I would apologise to the bank officer if found guilty. I’ll tell this to the high command as well,’’ he said.
Source - the times of India

Who is saying lieing minister or bank manager (this is politics) wait and see