The ongoing protest by app-based cab and bike drivers in Bhubaneswar escalated into violence on Wednesday, with police arresting around 80 protesters and reporting injuries to 13 personnel.

The drivers and bike riders have been on a cease-work protest since August 17 over a seven-point charter of demands that includes a fare hike, lower application fees, social security and other benefits.

Hundreds of protesters marched from Raj Mahal Square towards Mahatma Gandhi Marg on Wednesday and blocked the road, affecting traffic around Master Canteen Square and areas close to the railway station.

Protesters allegedly pelt stones at police

According to police, personnel deployed at the spot attempted to persuade the protesters to clear the road. The situation allegedly turned violent when some protesters threw stones at the police force.

Police also alleged that three police vans and several government-run Ama buses were vandalised during the incident.

Narasingha Bhol, Additional Commissioner of Police (Cuttack-Bhubaneswar), said 13 police personnel, including the inspector in charge of the Capital Police Station, were injured.

“We are examining the CCTV footage. Strict legal action will be taken against all those who indulged in the violence,” Bhol said.

Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena said around 80 protesters were arrested and vehicles parked at the protest site were seized.

The DCP said police had permitted the drivers to demonstrate at Mahatma Gandhi Marg on August 17, but the protesters continued their agitation and blocked a major road, causing inconvenience to commuters.

The situation has since returned to normal, with vehicular movement resuming. Police have also deployed additional personnel at Lower PMG.

Transport authority examines seized vehicles

The transport authority has started examining the documents of the vehicles seized during the protest.

Additional Transport Commissioner Sangram Patnaik said registration certificates of vehicles without valid documents would be cancelled.

“We are examining the details of the seized vehicles. We will cancel the registration certificate of vehicles that don’t have valid documents,” Patnaik said.

The prolonged strike has also affected commuters, with a large number of cabs, bikes and auto-rickshaws remaining off the roads.

Odisha government working on fare chart

Odisha Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena said the government is preparing a rate chart for online cab and bike ride operators.

Housing and Urban Development Minister K C Mahapatra said the government also plans to further improve the Odisha Yatri app, with the aim of ensuring that drivers receive greater benefits from rides.

The Congress has decided to continue with its longstanding position of singing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at party events, amid an ongoing political row over the National Song.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Thursday reaffirmed its 1937 resolution on Vande Mataram. The decision has drawn strong criticism from the BJP, which accused the opposition party of placing its political position above the country.

BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi described the Congress as a “new Muslim League” and questioned the party’s “patriotism and loyalty” to India.

BJP attacks Congress over Vande Mataram stand

Reacting to the CWC decision, Trivedi said the Congress had undermined its claim of being the principal party associated with India’s freedom struggle.

He alleged that the decision showed the Congress considered the party to be above the Constitution, Parliament and the country.

Trivedi also compared the Congress’s position with the Muslim League’s opposition to singing the complete version of Vande Mataram in 1931.

Congress defends 1937 resolution

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal defended the party’s decision and accused the BJP of politicising the National Song and National Anthem.

Venugopal said Vande Mataram was an emotional issue for the Congress and maintained that the party’s position was based on the decision taken by its top leadership in 1937.

He referred to the presence of leaders including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore, Subhas Chandra Bose and Sardar Patel at the time.

Venugopal also accused the BJP of using the controversy as a distraction from issues such as alleged paper leaks and “chanda chori”.

Vande Mataram row intensifies

The latest dispute comes amid a broader political controversy over the singing of Vande Mataram. The government had earlier pushed for the full version to be sung at public gatherings and official events and Parliament passed a Bill making disruption or prevention of the National Song’s singing a criminal offence, according to the report.

The controversy intensified after former Congress president Sonia Gandhi was seen making gestures while the full National Song was being sung at the Congress headquarters on Independence Day. The BJP alleged that she was objecting to the full version, while the Congress rejected the claim.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also faced criticism after singing a shorter version of Vande Mataram at an event in Goa on Monday. The BJP termed it disrespectful to the National Song.

Kharge defended his position, saying he had sung the version previously sung by leaders including Gandhi, Nehru, Sardar Patel and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He said that if singing that version was a crime, cases should also be filed against those leaders.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Maharashtra has suspended the food business licence of Hotel Radha in Malad (West), Mumbai, following an inspection that found serious hygiene violations in its kitchen.

The action was taken with immediate effect after a raid on August 18 uncovered an active rodent infestation, including live rats near the ceiling and rats emerging from open kitchen drainage lines.

Inspectors also found live cockroaches crawling over food preparation equipment, including a dough-mixing machine.

Inspection finds open drains and grease buildup

The inspection found that kitchen drains were left open and were not properly maintained. The condition of the drains created direct entry pathways for municipal sewage pests, according to the inspection findings.

The kitchen also had foul odours linked to water stagnation, grease buildup and drain seepage.

Videos and images from the inspection showed oil and grease covering kitchen counters and utensils. Storage units were also found to be dirty.

Food storage boxes and containers reportedly had mud and dust on them, while some utensils had rust.

Food preparation and storage areas found unhygienic

The inspection also documented several other unhygienic conditions inside the kitchen.

The dustbin was found open with waste inside it, while a toaster used for food preparation was placed above the dustbin.

Photos from the inspection also showed food ingredients being stored in unhygienic conditions.

The findings included both visible dirt and grease accumulation as well as pest-related problems inside areas used for food preparation and storage.

Maharashtra FDA orders immediate suspension

Following the inspection, authorities suspended Hotel Radha’s food business licence under Section 32(3) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The enforcement order directed the immediate closure of all manufacturing, storage, sale and distribution operations from August 18.

The action is part of a statewide crackdown involving hotels, restaurants, government canteens and other establishments across Maharashtra.