Farmers Protest Live Updates: Farmers begin 'Tractor March' towards Shambhu border

Farmers under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union Shaheed Bhagat Singh (BKU SBS) carried out a tractor march in Ambala on Monday, in support of the demands being raised by the farmers and labourers forums Sanyukt Kisan Morcha Non Political and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha protesting at Haryana state Khanauri and Shambhu borders.A large number of tractors marched in a single line in a disciplined manner and expressed protest against the Centre and Haryana state governments. The farmers tied the national tricolour flag on their tractors besides their BKU SBS union flags. The both ways traffic movement was uninterrupted as the public continued commuting on one side of Ambala roads.

Congress leader Kumari Selja on Monday voiced concern over the deteriorating health of fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take immediate action to address the farmers' demands. The Sirsa MP also said that the government has turned the Punjab and Haryana borders into something "akin to the India-Pakistan border" and instead of addressing the farmers' issues, they are being met with water cannons and tear gas shells.

"Dallewal himself has written an open letter to the prime minister raising 13 demands, including the legal guarantee to MSP, but the government seems unwilling to listen to the farmers," she said in a statement.

Farmers under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union Shaheed Bhagat Singh (BKU SBS) carried out a tractor march in Ambala on Monday, in support of the demands being raised by the farmers' and labourers' forums, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha Non-Political and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, protesting at Haryana state Khanauri and Shambhu borders.

Farmers organized a tractor march to the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border, where they continue to protest over various demands. The agitation has escalated following violent clashes between farmers and police, leaving 17 farmers injured. The protesters have pledged to continue their demonstrations, with a tractor march scheduled for December 16 and a 'Rail Roko' planned for December 18. Meanwhile, Haryana Minister Anil Vij has urged farmers to explore alternative protest methods, rather than blocking trains.

Showing solidarity with Punjab farmers who have been sitting at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders since February 13 this year, farmers in many districts, including Kaithal, Hisar, and Panipat, took out tractor marches.Farmers from different villages gathered at Kisan Chowk in Kalayat town of Kaithal on Monday morning and held a march to the SDM office. After the protest, they submitted a memorandum to the tehsildar, seeking the intervention of the Prime Minister in the ongoing protest at the two borders, which has been going on for the past 11 months.

I asked people to talk (with the government) together, the point is 'batoge to lutoge'. I have been saying this since the protests started to protest unitedly, otherwise they should stay away from Delhi, it is like 66,000 watt current, they need to cross it. We are worried about the health of Jagjit Singh Dallewal. It has to be decided by the government. We are with the protesters: (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait

Congress MP and party's Punjab chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has reached Khanauri border to meet protesting farmers. He says, "Dalewal saheb's condition is very sensitive right now as he has not eaten anything for 21 days. I want to warn the Govt of India that if something happens to Dalewal saheb then the people of Punjab and the farmers of the country will not stop. Then, your chair will not remain safe. I am threatening but giving advice...The Union Home Minister and CM of Punjab should come here and talk to the farmers."

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher urged to the people of the state of Punjab to participate to join the 'Rail Roko' protest set for December 18. "I want to appeal to the people of Punjab to participate in the 'Rail Roko' agitating on December 18. We request all the people of all the 13,000 villages in Punjab who live near railway tracks to block their nearest railway crossings and railway stations from 12 to 3 pm, " said farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher. He disclosed plans for a tractor procession outside Punjab on December 16, which would be followed by the 'Rail Roko' demonstration in Punjab on December 18. This statement was released shortly after a 'Jathha' comprising 101 farmers was forced to retreat for the day at the Shambhu border, where police had established blockades citing security reasons.

Following the directions of the Supreme Court, Punjab Police DGP Gaurav Yadav and a Union home ministry senior official met fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal at the Khanauri border of Punjab and Haryana on Sunday. “We have come to ensure emergent medical care facilities are provided to the fasting leader. We have provided well-equipped ambulances and other equipment at the site. We appeal to the farmers to accept the medical care facilities on humanitarian grounds in coordination with the state govt,” the DGP told mediapersons after holding talks with Dallewal.

Kizan Mazdoor Morcha convener Sarvan Singh Pandher, whose farm group is protesting on the Shambhu border, on Sunday appealed for unity among farm groups, especially those who spearheaded the 2020-2021 farm stir, but there was a sceptical response from farm unionists.

A marginal rise in minimum temperatures was recorded across the state on Sunday. Fatehpur continued to be the coldest place in the state with a minimum temperature of minus 1.2 degrees Celsius, Met reports said.For the seventh consecutive day on Sunday, people in many places in the state experienced shivering cold conditions. Though a rise of almost one degree was observed on average, it was not enough to be seen as relief.

The minimum temperature fell by two more degrees in Chandigarh on Sunday, intensifying the cold wave. According to the meteorological department, the minimum temperature dropped to 4.9°C on Sunday, which is five degrees below normal temperature.

Amid the cold wave sweeping through the national capital, many people are seeking refuge in night shelters, hoping to find food, shelter, and warmth to endure the freezing nights. The India Meteorological Department has alerted about cold wave conditions across various regions of north India, encompassing Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and additional states. Several locations in Delhi registered minimum temperatures of 5 degrees Celsius on December 15 and 16, as reported by the IMD. The department predicts foggy conditions in certain areas over the next three days.

The city experienced its most pristine first half of Dec on record, with only one 'very poor' air quality day so far this month. Delhi's average air quality index (AQI) during Dec 1-15 this year was 238, by far the lowest for this period since AQI measurements began in 2015 and the first time that the average was below 300. This was also the coldest first fortnight of Dec in at least 14 years, with the average minimum temperature at 8.2 degrees C, 1.1 degrees below normal. While the previous lowest since 2011 was 8.4 degrees C in 2022, the average minimum in all other years has been above 9 degrees C.

Air pollution in the first half of Dec was the lowest recorded since 2019 – a result that experts say is only because of weather conditions instead of any real change in cutting down sources of emissions on the ground. According to data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Gurgaon's 24-hour air quality index (AQI) from Dec 1 to Dec 15 was calculated at an average of 196, or ‘poor' category, this year. The month has not seen any ‘severe' air days so far. Instead, there were eight ‘moderate' days and seven ‘poor days' In contrast, the average AQI for the same timeframe last year was 253 (‘very poor'). The month recorded 14 ‘poor' days and one ‘very poor' AQI day in 2023.

Five days after 34-year-old Atul Subhash, automobile firm executive, died by suicide, Bengaluru police have arrested his wife, her mother and younger brother.All three were brought to Bengaluru, produced before the magistrate at his residence and were remanded in 14-day judicial custody early Sunday.The arrested were identified as Atul's wife Nikita Singhania, 29; her mother Nisha Singhania; and her younger brother Anurag Singhania, 27. Another accused, Sushil Singhania, mentioned in the FIR, is aged above 70 years, and his role in Atul's death is being verified for further action, police said.

Kizan Mazdoor Morcha convener Sarvan Singh Pandher, whose farm group is protesting on the Shambhu border, on Sunday appealed for unity among farm groups, especially those who spearheaded the 2020-2021 farm stir, but there was a sceptical response from farm unionists.