New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS): The Congress on Friday hit back at External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, saying the first international conference in Delhi was held even before Independence.

Slamming the government, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said: "The very first international conference in New Delhi was held even before our independence, between March 23 and April 2, 1947. It is known as the Asian Relations Conference and many books have been written on it. Twenty-eight countries participated.

"In the current ruling dispensation, the External Affairs Minister would alone understand its significance and impact -- even if he chooses to devalue it today," the Rajya Sabha MP said.

He said that the first international conference was held publicly under a big pandal in Purana Qila, and also had Australia, US, USSR, UK and the UN as observers.

"Mahatma Gandhi spoke at the closing and his speech is available on Youtube," he said, sharing the link of Mahatma Gandhi's speech.

The Congress has been critical of the government at the Centre and has alleged it of running an "election campaign" using the G20 Summit in India to divert people's attention from real issues.

The G20 Leaders' Summit is scheduled to be held on September 9-10.