- The Redlands Building in Shillong, site of the 1949 Manipur Merger Agreement, was demolished recently
- Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma denied his government's involvement and promised a probe
- The building was the former residence of Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh and held historical significance
The demolition of Shillong's iconic Redlands Building on Friday triggered widespread shock and outrage both in Manipur and Meghalaya. The Manipur Merger Agreement was signed on September 21, 1949, between Maharaja Bodhachandra and representatives of the Union of India in this historic Redlands Building, also called Manipuri Rajbari, constructed in the 1940s.
After the merger agreement, the erstwhile princely state of Manipur merged with the Indian Union in October 1949.
Coincidentally, the demolition took place at a time when Meghalaya Chief Minister and president of the National People's Party (NPP) Conrad K Sangma was visiting Manipur's capital Imphal.
At a press conference, Sangma categorically denied any involvement of his government, stating that no permission had been granted by the Meghalaya government for 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 said before departing for Dimapur in Nagaland to hold meetings with Kuki tribe leaders.
Noting that the Meghalaya government had always stood for preserving heritage sites, the visiting chief minister said a high-level probe will be launched to determine how the demolition happened.
"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 said.
Shillong's iconic Redlands Building before it was demolished
The Redlands Building, constructed in the 1940s, was once the Shillong residence of the erstwhile king Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh.
Despite repeated appeals from heritage groups and former Minister of State for External Affairs and Education, Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, to preserve the site, the building was torn down, reportedly to make way for a new Manipur Bhavan.
The move triggered widespread condemnation from various organisations, including Meitei Heritage Society, historians, scholars, and citizens and experts who described the demolition as an irreparable loss to Manipur's political and cultural heritage.
Many people in Manipur have demanded accountability from both the state governments for allowing the destruction of what they term a "monument of historical betrayal and remembrance."
Congress Lok Sabha MP from Inner Manipur, A Bimol Akoijam, expressed concern over the demolition of the historic Redlands Building, and termed it 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 told reporters.
He said the building held immense significance as it was the house of Maharaja Bodhachandra and the site where the Manipur Merger Agreement was signed on September 21, 1949.
"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 professor turned politician said.
He said the site should have been protected under heritage laws and developed as a tourist attraction.
It is related not only to the history of Manipur but also to the history of India and how the nation came into being in 1947 as a post-colonial state, the MP said. He demanded the restoration and reconstruction of the Redlands Building in its original model.
The Centre should declare and preserve it as a National Heritage site, he added.
