The demolition of Shillong’s historic Redlands Building—where the 1949 Manipur Merger Agreement was signed—has sparked outrage across Manipur and Meghalaya, prompting calls for a probe, restoration, and national heritage status for the iconic Manipuri Rajbari.
The sudden demolition of Shillong’s iconic Redlands Building, also known as Manipuri Rajbari, has triggered widespread shock and outrage in both Manipur and Meghalaya. The structure, steeped in historical and political significance, was where the controversial Manipur Merger Agreement was signed on September 21, 1949, between Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh and representatives of the Union of India. The agreement marked the formal merger of the princely state of Manipur into the Indian Union the following month, in October 1949.
Constructed in the 1940s, the Redlands Building once served as the Shillong residence of Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh. The building had long been considered a silent witness to one of the most critical political developments in India’s post-independence history. Despite multiple appeals by heritage activists and historians to conserve the site, it was demolished reportedly to make way for a new Manipur Bhavan.
Coincidence with Chief Minister Sangma’s Visit
In a striking coincidence, the demolition occurred during Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) President Conrad K. Sangma’s visit to Imphal, where he was assessing the ongoing ethnic crisis in Manipur. Addressing the media in Imphal, Sangma categorically denied any involvement of his government in the demolition.
“As far as information collected through telephonic conversation, it is confirmed that the Meghalaya government is not involved in any way and no permission was given,” Sangma clarified before leaving for Dimapur, Nagaland, for consultations with Kuki-Zo tribal community leaders.
He emphasized that the Meghalaya government had always taken pride in preserving heritage structures and vowed to launch a high-level inquiry into how such a historic building was razed without government authorization.
“We have been clear that such a memorial, which has historical significance, must be preserved. I will definitely inquire into it since it happened in my state,” Sangma stated.
Outrage and Condemnation
The demolition has been widely condemned across social and political circles in both states. The Meitei Heritage Society, historians, scholars, and citizens have described the act as an irreparable loss to Manipur’s political and cultural identity. Many have demanded accountability from both the Manipur and Meghalaya governments for allowing the destruction of what they consider a “monument of historical betrayal and remembrance.”
Former Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh had earlier urged both governments to preserve the Redlands site, citing its importance to India’s national and regional history. His appeals, however, went unheeded.
Voices from Manipur
Congress MP from Inner Manipur, Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, expressed deep concern, calling the demolition a direct assault on the dignity and history of Manipur.
“It’s very sad. I visited that place long ago, and even then, I felt that we did not know how to take care of our historical heritage. The Redlands Building is a part of Manipur’s history, even though it is located outside the state,” Akoijam said.
He reminded that the site carries immense historical weight as it was both the residence of Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh and the venue where the Manipur Merger Agreement was signed—an event that forever changed the political destiny of the state.
“That destruction is shocking to me. It feels as if someone is trying to obliterate a certain historical moment to remove any evidence of our past,” the academician-turned-politician remarked.
Akoijam urged the authorities to restore and reconstruct the Redlands Building in its original model, arguing that it deserved to be declared a National Heritage Site by the Government of India.
“It is not only a part of Manipur’s history but also of India’s journey as a post-colonial nation formed after 1947,” he added, stressing the need for greater protection of such landmarks across the Northeast.
A Call for Preservation
The incident has once again brought to light the fragile state of heritage conservation in India’s Northeast. Heritage activists have demanded immediate intervention from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Ministry of Culture to investigate how the demolition was permitted despite the site’s historical importance.
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As outrage continues to grow, the Redlands Building’s destruction stands as a stark reminder of the urgent need for a unified heritage preservation policy that safeguards regional identities and national history alike.
