Congress to oppose free trade deal, both within and outside parliament

The Manmohan Singh-led UPA 2 government had initiated India's negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2012, but Congress president Sonia Gandhi has decided that the party will stand against the free trade agreement, and is planning to protest the "anti-farmer" trade deal both within Parliament during the winter session from November 18, as also outside.

While a section of the Congress has reservations on speaking against the trade deal, senior leaders in the party said Sonia Gandhi is convinced that the party should protest the trade deal as it would hurt the interests of domestic industry, particularly dairy