Dehradun: As several shops in Prem Nagar were razed down, the area residents vented their anger on both Congress and BJP politicians who had assured them that such anti-encroachment drive won’t take place.Leaders from both BJP and Congress had turned up at Prem Nagar in July when the authorities attempted to demolish shops. Four Dehradun MLAs, from both the parties, had extended their support to locals after which the officials deferred to carry out the drive.But on Friday, the residents were angry when no leader came. “Earlier, they had come here simply for getting their photos taken, but when the demolition actually happened no one came to our support. We were not encroachers few months ago, but suddenly we have become one now,” said Ravnish Singh a resident of the area.“When we really needed them, they vanished. Many of us tried to contact them but none of them answered,” said a shopkeeper whose shop was demolished in the drive.Responding to the complaints of locals, Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi told TOI that he was in Delhi but added that he had held meetings with the senior officials of the district, including DM SA Murugesan, and was assured that they will try not to demolish homes. “I held meetings with the senior officials and was assured that proper care will be taken during the demolition drive. I could not go to the site because I had to leave for Delhi,” said Joshi.

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