Hyderabad: Congress' Member of Parliament from Nagarkurnool Dr Jagannatham was caught on camera slapping Ravinder Reddy, a bank manager, on Sunday evening in Mahbubnagar.
The official had reportedly delayed releasing loans to SC/ST beneficiaries and his response, on being questioned, apparently enraged the MP.
Jagannatham, however, said he did not slap the manager.
"I did not physically assault him. I was trying to catch him but he moved back. As I moved forward, my hand touched his cheek," Jagannatham said.
Bank unions are backing Reddy and have filed a police complaint against the MP for assaulting a government employee.
"The beneficiaries did not assault me. It was the MP who hit me," Reddy said.
But the MP now says he did not mean to slap the official and says the official provoked him by insulting him.
"When I sought the clarification, he said go to anybody, do whatever you like, book any case against me, come to the branch and settle scores. Can an employee of a bank behave like this with a Member of Parliament? He did that because I am a Dalit and that is why he took the liberty of insulting me," Jagannatham said.
This slapping episode is the worst advertisement for the Congress line -- Congress ka haath, aam aadmi ke saath. The party leadership is embarrassed at Jagannatham's high-handed behaviour and the MP was asked to meet the Chief Minister to give an explanation.