BJP ally RLP’s MP Hanuman Beniwal resigns from 3 parliamentary committees, to reach Delhi with 2 lakh farmers on Dec 26; Lalu Yadav’s kidney functioning at only 25%, says Tejashwi Yadav after meeting at RIIMS; Birendra Singh, ex-minister and BJP leader, breaks ranks to join farmers’ protest; COVID shot voluntary, vaccine will be as effective in India as any developed nations: Health Ministry; Switzerland clears Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, China to begin vaccination drive soon; and more