(Top) Disposable plates out, rallyists feast sitting on the Maidan greens after the DYFI meeting on Saturday afternoon; (Above) Cars of VIPs parked on the ground. Pictures by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Calcutta, Dec. 20: About 130 buses that brought about a lakh people to a rally in Maidan clogged roads in the area today as supporters cooked chicken curry on the greens, violating a high court order to safeguard Calcutta’s lungs.

In September 2007, Calcutta High Court banned parking of vehicles on roads around the Maidan as also cooking on open ovens within a three-kilometre radius of the Victoria Memorial.

But by evening, the ground, where chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had addressed the DYFI rally, resembled a garbage bin. Near stalls that were selling anything from Marxist literature to food were heaps of chicken feathers and saal plates — remnants of an outdoor feast.

There were cars parked in the no-parking zones also.

The supporters from the districts began arriving from 8am and the space along Red Road as well as the front of Eden Gardens got choked as the buses that brought them started parking there. The result: a traffic congestion that began at 10am but had not eased even around 5pm.

An officer at Hastings police station said: “We raided a few spots where cooking was on and seized several LPG cylinders, logs and utensils that were being used.”

“Yes, there has been some violation of rules. But please understand we are in very troubled times when divisive forces are trying to tear apart the country. If you have to reach out to the youths at this time, you can’t but hold such a rally where there would be some violations,” said CPM MP Sudhangshu Sil, whose car was parked on the ground, just behind the dais.

The green lobby has decided to lodge a protest. “Today’s activities violated the high court order. We will submit a report to the court after a tour of the Maidan,” said environment activist Subhas Dutta.

The army, which is the custodian of the Maidan, said permission for the rally was granted after an undertaking that the organisers would abide by the court order and clean the Maidan in four days. “We’ll survey the area and take necessary steps,” said group captain R.K. Das, spokesperson for the Eastern Command. Insiders said the “necessary steps” could include informing the defence ministry.

CPM leader Rabin Deb said DYFI members would clean the ground by tomorrow.

Left Front chairman Biman Bose and CPM MP Mohammad Salim also attended the rally where Bhattacharjee railed at the Maoists and Mamata Banerjee. “We won’t compromise with these cowards (the Maoists) and evil forces who did not even spare medicos....Our problem is that this Maoist menace will continue as long as Jharkhand can’t contain them. We will ask Delhi to help.”

His government would continue with the industrialisation process, Bhattacharjee said. “But we have an Opposition party that is bent on sowing potatoes and cucumbers in Singur,” he said.

Rally numbers

The arrangements and crowd crush at the Maidan

Buses: Around 130
People: Nearly a lakh
Stalls: About 100
Cooking stoves: 12