The commemorative Jung-e-Azadi rally on the 150th anniversary of the 1857 War from Meerut to Delhi got off to an ugly start today with members of the rally vandalising a government school besides burning down tents put up for them to rest in Ghaziabad’s Moradnagar area.

Participants complained that they did not get either breakfast or lunch till 4 pm today even after covering almost 15 km on foot from Meerut to Moradnagar. The Centre has earmarked a Rs 13-crore budget for food for the participants while the state government is responsible for arranging accommodation during their 80-km long march to Delhi’s Red Fort over five days.

The rally with 10,000 participants from far flung areas, including Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar and J-K, was flagged off at 6 am today at Meerut’s Victoria Park by Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar.

“We reached Muradnagar at 2 pm but there was no sight of lunch. We were completely starved. And then we decided to take matters in our own hands,” said Kashu Verma, a representative from Bihar.

Shakil Ahmed, Director of Nehru Yuva Kendra - an autonomous organisation under the Government organising the rally, said, “We have rectified the problem and are ensuring that dinner is served in time,” said Ahmed.