New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS): After the scuffle between MPs in the Lok Sabha on Friday, the Congress has demanded an unconditional apology from Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan for targeting Rahul Gandhi during the question hour.

The Lok Sabha witnessed high drama as BJP and Congress MPs engaged in a scuffle with Congress MP Manickam Tagore trying to snatch a paper from Harsh Vardhan when the minister was reading a note condemning Rahul Gandhi's 'danda' jibe targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, said, "I have proposed that the concerned minister should apologise for his unparliamentary behaviour. As I said, one of our members suddenly rushed towards the Well of the House because of the emotional upsurge triggered by the Health Minister himself. If anything is found wrong on our part, we are ready to express our regret.

"The way the minister rolled out some papers before accusing Rahulji, it clearly establishes that it was a deliberate and premeditated way of accusing Rahul Gandhi."

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said that Rahul Gandhi had no intention to hurt the Prime Minister.

"Criticism of BJP or the Prime Minister is not an anti-national act. We are a party which is committed to Gandhian values and principles. We do not encourage branding an expression about the desperation of the unemployed youth as Rahul Gandhi or the Congress party's intent to hurt the Prime Minister," Sharma said.

Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a rally in poll-bound Delhi recently, had said that Modi will "not be able to step out of his house in six months from now. The youth of India will beat him with sticks to make him understand that without employment, the country can never progress."