New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to interact with employees at the IOC Refinery in Assam’s Tinsukia on Saturday.
The leader will also address two public meetings — one in Jorhat at 1 pm and the other in Gohpur at 2.30 pm.
Rahul Gandhi, who is on his two-day visit to Assam will also release the party’s manifesto for the poll-bound Assam today at 4.45 pm at Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office.
Speaking to ANI Congress Spokesperson AICC in-charge of Media for Assam Polls Gourav Vallabh has said, “We are giving ‘five guarantees’ to the people of Assam which are the key points of our manifesto and is agreed by the alliance partners too as a part of Common Minimum Program.
He also mentioned that the manifesto will promise no implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in Assam.
Other than this, the manifesto of Congress will also mention Rs 365 for tea workers, 200 units of free electricity and Rs 2000 for housewives a month.
Assembly elections in Assam for 126 seats will be held in three phases starting on March 27. The counting of votes will take place on May 2. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): The air quality in Delhi improved to the ‘poor’ from ‘very poor’ category on Saturday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 280, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).
Air quality in Mumbai and Ahmedabad is also in the ‘poor’ category.
According to the Central Control Room for Air Quality Management data, several areas of Delhi such as Anand Vihar, Chandani Chowk, Rohini and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium recorded ‘poor’ air quality, with the AQI values standing at 221, 250, 252 and 227 respectively, whereas Lodhi road recorded ‘moderate’ air quality with AQI standing at 121.
As per government agencies, an AQI within the range of 0-5 is regarded as ‘good’, 51-100 is ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 is ‘moderate’, 201-300 is ‘poor’ and 301-400 is ‘very poor’ and 401-500 is considered ‘severe’.
Air Quality Index is a tool for effective communication of air quality status to people in terms, which are easy to understand.
It transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into a single number (index value), nomenclature and colour. There are six AQI categories, namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe. Each of these categories is decided based on ambient concentration values of air pollutants and their likely health impacts (known as health breakpoints). (ANI)

Bulandshahr/Meerut (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 20 (ANI): A murder convict, who forged documents to declare himself as dead after getting out from jail on parole in 2004, has been arrested.
Bulandshahr Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Santosh Kumar Singh said the accused Aniraj Singh came out on parole in 2004 and since then he was living at a different place by hiding his real identity.
“Aniraj Singh A native of Meerut’s Sardhana, he was sent to life imprisonment in a murder case in 1988. In 2004, he came out on parole. Aniraj Singh forged some documents and got himself declared dead. For the last 16 years, he was living at a different place by hiding his identity,” Singh told ANI.
“Last year, Meerut police came to know that he is alive and announced a reward of Rs 20,000 for him. He has been arrested with a pistol and live rounds. He is being sent to jail,” he added.
A case has been registered against Aniraj Singh under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Inspector-General of Police (Meerut Range) Praveen Kumar said: “Aniraj came out on parole in 2004 and has been absconding since then. Meerut Police announce a Rs 20,000 reward on him. Bulandshahr Police gather intelligence and found he forged death certificated and have it presented in the court. A case has been registered.” (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Friday lauded CRPF personnel for their role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic as “Corona Warriors”.
He was speaking at the 82nd CRPF Raising Day Parade at the CRPF Academy Gurugram. Rai took the salute at the parade.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister commended their selfless service to society as 80,000 personnel pledged organ donations, besides their contribution as Nature Warriors by planting 25 lakh trees, and establishment of the National Centre for Divyang Empowerment.
Rai appreciated the exceptional work of the CRPF in women’s empowerment, as they shoulder equal responsibilities in effectively dealing with extreme internal challenges like terrorism, militancy, Left Wing Extremism, Rapid Action Force duties in riot control, law and order, maintenance of communal harmony and Disaster Management.
While presenting Gallantry medals and trophies for exceptional achievements in different categories, Rai congratulated the force personnel and their families. He paid tributes to all the martyrs and saluted their immense and unparalleled contribution in upholding the unity, integrity, and sovereignty of the nation. He also remarked that the unflinching commitment of the CRPF to its motto of ‘Service and Loyalty’ is ingrained in its work culture.
Kuldiep Singh, Director General (DG) CRPF thanked the minister for his august presence. The DG extended his best wishes to the force personnel and their families and assured that the Force will continue to serve the nation with reinvigorated dedication and devotion.
On March 19, 1950, then Home Minister, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel presented colours to the CRPF after the CRPF Act was enacted and the force rechristened to its present name. The CRPF was raised in 1939 as the Crown Representative’s Police. (ANI)

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 20 (ANI): A man has been booked for allegedly raping a female dog in Kalina area of Mumbai’s Santacruz on March 13.
A case has been registered against him under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
The incident took place on March 13 night and the case was registered on March 16, police said.
Savita Mahajan, Chairman, Chairman of Animal Rescue and Care Trust submitted the CCTV footage of the incident to the police and other evidence. Based on her complaint, the FIR was registered. (ANI)

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 20 (ANI): Congress spokesperson Dasoju Sravan on Friday alleged that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has indulged in enrolling bogus votes in the recent MLC elections.
Speaking to ANI, Sravan said, “The Congress Party have been time and again said that the TRS party is indulging in enrolling bogus votes in the recent Graduate MLC elections in Telangana.”
Sravan said that TRS leader and Chairperson of Tandur Municipal Corporation of Vikarabad district Swapna cast her vote in the Graduate MLC elections despite not having voting right as she is not a graduate.
“I wonder how the returning officer has allowed an illegal and bogus voter to come and vote,” he added.
The Congress leader said that this incident clearly shows how the TRS party has misused its authority. “I ask K Chandrashekhar Rao is he going to take action against her or not,” he said.
Sravan further said that if Rao holds any respect for the Constitution, then he must immediately suspend Swapna from his party. He also demanded the election authorities, particularly the Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana to immediately file a criminal case against Swapna and make sure that she is removed from the Chairman position.
Speaking about the lake encroachments in Hyderabad city, Sravan said that he welcomes the interim verdict given by the High Court of Telangana directing the Government of Telangana to protect the lakes of Hyderabad.
“During Telangana agitations, it was one of the main agendas that the thousands of lakes in and around Hyderabad City be protected from encroachments in Hyderabad city. These lakes in and around Hyderabad City were always exposed to encroachments. So, during the Telangana agitations, we have kept an agenda that all the lakes in Telangana state be protected from encroachments,” he said.
He further said that the TRS government has failed to protect the lakes and said after the TRS came to power lake encroachments have multiplied.
“On behalf of the Congress Party, we demand that a fully empowered Hyderabad’s Lakes Protection Authority be constituted,” Sravan said.
He further added that by constituting a lakes protection authority, we can not only protect the ecology and environment but also can save Hyderabad from any Natural Disasters like the recent 2020 Hyderabad floods. (ANI)