Hyderabad, July 01: Congress MP from Nagarkurnool in Andhra Pradesh M Jagannath on Wednesday denied having slapped the manager of a bank in Mahabubnagar district, even as bank unions vowed to intensify their protests over the incident.
“He challenged me to come to the bank. I wanted to put my hand on his shoulder but he pulled back. In the process, my hand happened to touch his cheek,” Jagannath told reporters.
Slapping of bank manager by MP most unfortunate: Moily
He said he did not intend to slap the bank manager who, he said, was not disbursing loan amounts to the SC/ST beneficiaries.
Jagannath allegedly slapped Ravinder Reddy, manager of a local branch of Andhra Pradesh Grameen Vikas Bank, for not releasing the loan amount to SC/ST beneficiaries for the last six months at Uppununtala in Mahabubnagar district on Monday.
The MP alleged that the manager gave an improper reply when he called him up during a meeting of the mandal officials and public representatives to find out the reasons for not distributing the loans.
Meanwhile, the AP Regional Rural Banks Employees Association (APRRBEA) stepped up its protests in eight districts of the state, where it operates.
“We are organising protests in 8 districts. Other PSU banks like SBI, Andhra Bank have expressed solidarity with us. We are submitting a memorandum to the Mahabubnagar district Collector today.
The Association demands that the MP express apology for his action, withdraw the “false” case filed against the bank manager under the stringent Prevention of Atrocities against SC/STs and create a congenial atmosphere for the bank employees to function, he said.
Meanwhile, the Association has stopped disbursal of crops loans and loans sanctioned under various government schemes, Ravikant said.
The Association would hold an emergency meeting on July 5 to decide the future course of action over the issue, he added.
—-Agencies