Historic Redlands Building Demolition Sparks Outrage: Manipur-India Merger Site Destroyed

Shillong's historic Redlands Building has been demolished, sparking significant outrage across Manipur and Meghalaya. This iconic structure, constructed in the 1940s, was the site where the Manipur Merger Agreement was signed on September 21, 1949, between Maharaja Bodhachandra and Union of India representatives.

Following this agreement, the princely state of Manipur officially merged with the Indian Union in October 1949.

The demolition coincidentally occurred during Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma's visit to Imphal, Manipur's capital. During a press conference, Sangma firmly denied any government involvement in the demolition decision.

"Based on information gathered through telephonic conversations, I can confirm the Meghalaya government was not involved and issued no permissions," Sangma stated before departing for Dimapur, Nagaland, to meet with Kuki tribe leaders.

Sangma emphasized his government's commitment to heritage preservation and promised a thorough investigation into the demolition. "Such a memorial with historical significance must be preserved. I will definitely inquire into this matter as it happened in my state," he assured.

The Redlands Building, also known as Manipuri Rajbari, previously served as Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh's Shillong residence. Despite numerous appeals from heritage organizations and former Minister of State for External Affairs and Education Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh to preserve the structure, it was demolished reportedly to make way for a new Manipur Bhavan.

Various organizations including the Meitei Heritage Society, historians, scholars, and citizens have condemned the demolition, describing it as an irreparable loss to Manipur's political and cultural heritage. Many Manipuri residents are demanding accountability from both state governments for allowing the destruction of what they consider a "monument of historical betrayal and remembrance."

Congress Lok Sabha MP from Inner Manipur, A Bimol Akoijam, expressed profound concern over the demolition. "It's very sad. I visited that place long ago and even then felt we didn't know how to care for our historical heritage. The Redlands Building is part of Manipur's history, even though located outside the state," Akoijam told reporters.

He emphasized the building's immense significance as Maharaja Bodhachandra's house and the location where the Manipur Merger Agreement was signed. "That destruction is shocking to me. It feels as if someone is trying to obliterate a certain historical moment to remove evidence of our past," the professor-turned-politician stated.

Akoijam argued the site should have been protected under heritage laws and developed as a tourist attraction. He noted its relevance not just to Manipur's history but to India's formation as a post-colonial state in 1947.

The MP has called for the restoration and reconstruction of the Redlands Building according to its original design and urged the Centre to declare and preserve it as a National Heritage site.