New Delhi, Aug 21 - Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad Friday hit out at 'bloody' state governments for not doing enough to contain the spread of the H1N1 virus, leading incensed state ministers to castigate him for his 'unparliamentary language'.

'Bloody, hum yahan par 20-24 ghante kaam karte hai aur aap aish karte ho (Bloody, we are working 20 to 24 hours. And you people are enjoying yourselves),' Azad said at a meeting of state health ministers here.

Stunned silence followed the outburst, but Azad was unfazed and continued to scold the gathering.

'You must wake up. Hum teen mahine se aap ko jhel rahe hai (For the past three months, we are tolerating you people),' said the health minister after completing his written speech.

When told that his language had angered some minister, Azad said: 'It is between us.'

The meeting was on the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the flagship programme of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government that was launched in 2005 and is aimed at providing quality healthcare to the rural populace.

According to the union health ministry, the programme was attended by 19 state health ministers and the lieutenant governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Azad, after speaking on the NRHM for a few minutes, went on to discuss the swine flu pandemic that has killed 36 people in the country and infected over 2,400 people.