YSR patches up Manda and bank staff

Finally, it was Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy who had to intervene and bring a compromise between Nagarkurnool Congress MP Dr Manda Jagannatham and employees of rural banks in the state on Sunday.

The Chief Minister summoned Jagannatham and representatives of the AP Rural Banks Association to Begumpet airport (from where YSR was to fly to East Godavari district) and asked them to arrive at a compromise. He pulled up Jagannatham in front of the association leaders for slapping Ravinder Reddy, manager of AP Grameena Vikas Bank of Uppununthala branch in Mahbubnagar district on Monday last. “This is not the way to get work from the bank officials. If you have any complaint against any banker, you should take it up with appropriate authorities, but you cannot take law into your hands,” he said.

The Chief Minister also appealed the bank association members not to precipitate the matter further. Following his appeal, Jagannatham and association leaders shook hands and decided to close the issue. While tendering an open apology to the bank officials, the Congress MP agreed to withdraw the case filed against Ravinder Reddy under SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act. The bankers also agreed to withdraw the case of filed against Jagannatham for assaulting an official on duty.