Minister of State for Education Gulab Devi Sunday demolished a portion of her family's shop using a hammer to support the ongoing encroachment drive in Chandausi.

The 40-year-old shop on Subhash Road was reportedly encroaching on the public space.

For the past week, the administration in Chandausi has been clearing illegal encroachments along drains and roads.

Chandausi MLA Gulab Devi said she wanted to send a message to the common people that the city's systems should function properly and diseases should not spread.

"Encroachment is being cleared to ensure that Chandausi remains clean and accessible to all," she said.

"There will be challenges, and I too am facing difficulty as my shop, which my father used to run, is being dismantled by my own hands. But nothing is more important than following the rules of the government and serving the public interest," she added.

The lawmaker said there was no major drain near her shop, just a small one along the road.

"It is being cleared as part of this broader effort, and I am willing to endure this loss because what is happening to the public is also happening to me," she said.

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