By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 15: The Manipuri Elders’ Consortium Shillong (MECS) staged a protest on Wednesday at the site of the demolished historic Manipur Rajbari, also known as Red Lands, at Boyce Road, Shillong, demanding that the structure be reconstructed in its original form.
The protest coincided with the 75th anniversary of Manipur’s merger with India, an event deeply tied to the site itself. The merger agreement, signed by Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh of Manipur and representatives of the Government of India at the Red Lands bungalow on September 21, 1949, officially came into effect on October 15, 1949. It led to the transfer of administration of the erstwhile kingdom to the Dominion of India.
Constructed in the 1940s, the Red Lands bungalow served as one of the official residences of Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh and remains a site of immense historical and emotional significance for the Manipuri community.
Members of the Shillong Manipuri Students’ Union joined the MECS during the demonstration, holding placards that read, “Restore the heritage bungalow to its original form,” “Suspend officials involved in the Red Lands demolition project,” “Demolishing a national heritage is anti-national,” and “Art and Culture Department should not be sleeping.”
The protesters condemned officials of the Planning and Development Authority (PDA) for their alleged role in the demolition, describing it as a “grave disrespect to history.”
Speaking to reporters, MECS convener Dr Munish Singh Ningthoujam said October 15 holds deep significance for all Manipuris.
“On this day in 1949, the merger agreement transferring administration from the Kingdom of Manipur to the Dominion of India was signed right here. It is unfortunate that on the 75th anniversary of that historic moment, the very site has been destroyed,” he said.
Dr Ningthoujam said the Governor of Manipur has constituted a monitoring committee, comprising experts such as the Superintendent of Archaeology and the Secretary of the Manipur State Kala Akademi, to oversee restoration work. However, he expressed strong opposition to the inclusion of PDA officials in the committee.
“We don’t want any member of the PDA, which was responsible for the demolition, to be a part of this committee. They should be immediately removed,” he demanded. Dr Ningthoujam urged that representatives of the Meitei community in Shillong should be included in the committee to ensure proper supervision of the restoration project.
“We want local Meitei representatives from Shillong to be part of this committee so that they can monitor progress regularly and ensure the restoration retains the original design and structure of the Rajbari,” he said, adding that officials involved in the demolition “should not be brought back.”
Dr Ningthoujam said there was never any official approval to bring down the Manipur Rajbari.
“The main idea was only to build a guest house at the back, which has already been completed. Unfortunately, it was constructed so close—less than one metre from the heritage house — that it damaged the original structure,” he said.
He added that the entire area of the Manipur Bhavan was meant to be facelifted, not demolished and rebuilt.
“The idea of demolishing and reconstructing the Red Lands bungalow was never part of the plan. We are puzzled why such action was taken overnight, and on October 8, the very month marking 75 years since Manipur’s merger with India,” he said.
He accused the PDA of issuing contradictory statements regarding the demolition.
“They claimed that while attempting to renovate the building, it collapsed because it was too old, forcing them to dismantle it completely. But this is false. From the beginning, they planned to build a new concrete structure by bulldozing the old one,” he said.
He pointed out that the labourers engaged in the restoration were not skilled in wooden or Assam-type construction.
“If renovation had truly been planned, the workers would have been experts in restoring such heritage structures. Instead, all five labourers brought from Manipur were concrete construction workers — proving that the intention was to erect a new cemented building,” he said.
Dr Ningthoujam further alleged that the demolition was carried out without necessary permissions.
“To break down such an old heritage bungalow, approval should have been obtained not only from the Manipur government but also from the Meghalaya authorities. This was not done. The actions of the PDA and the contractor are completely wrong,” he stated.
He added that before the demolition, the MECS and the Manipur Sahitya Parishad had approached the governor and officials concerned to safeguard the building’s historical importance.
“Despite our representations and their assurances, the demolition was still carried out. They did what they wanted,” he said.
To a query, Dr Ningthoujam revealed that while the Manipur Bhavan had not yet been officially declared a heritage site, the process was already under way.
“We had requested that it be recognised under the Meghalaya Heritage Act, 2012. Given its age and historic value, it naturally qualifies as a heritage structure,” he said.
