File picture of Union Minister Smriti Irani.

Congress leader Gurudas Kamat was today asked by the National Commission for Women to explain within a week his offensive remarks against Education Minister Smriti Irani that have attracted much criticism.On Thursday, Mr Kamat, 60, referred to Ms Irani as a "poncha lagane wali (one who mops floors)" in an attack that questioned the minister's credentials to have charge of the education portfolio."We have sent a showcause notice to Gurudas Kamat on his remarks about Smriti Irani... Have asked him to reply to this notice in a week's time," said Lalitha Kumaramangalam, chairperson of the National Commission for Women.Mr Kamat, who made the remarks against Ms Irani while campaigning for local body elections in Rajasthan, had said, "She's come from Delhi and resides here in Mumbai. The first job she got here was mopping the floor of a Mumbai restaurant. Nothing wrong in that. If a 'chaiwala' can become the Prime Minister of the country, then why can't a 'poncha lagane wali' become a minister," referring to PM Narendra Modi's much-flaunted humble beginnings as a tea seller.But the Congressman today, in a tweet, said, "Words twisted out of context. Never degraded work in McDonalds, questioned qualifications to handle imp HRD Ministry."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?"