New Delhi [India], March 9 (ANI): With the second phase of the budget session set to resume today, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh criticised the central government for bypassing a full parliamentary debate on the West Asia conflict in favor of a ministerial statement from EAM Jaishankar, drawing a comparison with the 2003 Iraq war debate in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

In an X post, Ramesh attached two pictures from the 2003 discussions in the lower and upper houses, to emphasize his previous call for a full-fledged discussion in Parliament on the evolving situation in West Asia.

'Here is the Resolution on the US-led invasion of Iraq adopted unanimously in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha after an extensive debate on April 9, 2003,' he wrote on X.

https://x.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/2030862717549203677?s=20

Earlier, the Congress MP had said that the problems with Ministerial statements are that they convey the information which is already known, with MPs not allowed to seek clarifications or ask questions.

'It has been let known that the External Affairs Minister will make a statement in both Houses of Parliament on the situation in West Asia. The problems with such Ministerial statements are that (i) they convey little of value over and above that is already known; and more importantly (ii) MPs are not given an opportunity to seek clarifications or ask questions,' he said.

'What the Opposition wants is a full-fledged debate. On April 8 2003 there was a spirited debate in the Lok Sabha on the US invasion of Iraq and a resolution was even passed condeming it. This was when Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who knew his Rajdharma, was the PM,' the Congress MP posted.

EAM Jaishankar's statement is expected amid rising global concern over the escalating tensions in West Asia and their geopolitical implications. The conflict intensified after 86-year-old Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel on Iran on February 28. The strikes reportedly targeted key installations and also killed several senior leaders of the Islamic Republic.

Following the attacks, Tehran launched retaliatory strikes targeting American military bases in several Arab countries as well as Israeli assets across the region. Israel, backed by the United States, has continued strikes on Iranian targets, while also expanding military operations into Lebanon against Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups. (ANI)