File photo of education minister Smriti Irani
Congress leader Gurudas Kamat has drawn much criticism for making offensive comments against union education minister Smriti Irani, who he has attacked before.
Speaking in Rajasthan yesterday, Mr Kamat referred to Ms Irani as a "
poncha lagane waali (one who mops floors)" in an attack that questioned the minister's credentials to have charge of the education portfolio.
"Her family's financial condition was not good; therefore, she worked in a hotel in Versova. Since, Smriti was only 10th pass, she used to mop floors," Mr Kamat said while campaigning for local body elections in the BJP-ruled state.
While Ms Irani's party the BJP has lashed out at Mr Kamat, he has also earned severe criticism from others. "You can comment on her work and her qualification etc. But by saying that in past she used to do house hold work and now she is working as a minister is wrong. You can't disrespect women like this," said K Kavitha of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi or TRS.
The BJP's Sambit Patra tweeted, "So very pained to hear what Congress leader Gurudas Kamat said about HRD Minister Smt Smriti Irani ..has Politics come down to this level?"
Ashok Parnami, the BJP's Rajasthan chief was quoted by the
Indian Express as saying that the Congress leader's comments smacked of desperation. "These sort of shallow statements against women show the Congress' desperation," he said.
On Twitter, there is an outpouring of support for Ms Irani.
Mr Kamat has been torn apart in scathing tweets.