Shillong, Oct 15 (NationPress) Protests and unrest persisted for the seventh consecutive day on Wednesday following the dismantling of the historic Redlands Buildings, also known as Manipur Rajbari, in Meghalaya's capital, Shillong.

Members of the Manipuri Elders’ Consortium, Shillong (MECS) and the Shillong Manipuri Students’ Union (SMSU) convened at the site of the Redlands Buildings in the Laitumkhrah area of Shillong.

The representatives from both Manipuri community organizations expressed their vehement disapproval of what they deemed an “unforgivable act of erasing Manipur’s living history.”

Just two days after the Manipur government’s Planning and Development Authority (PDA) attempted to justify the demolition by shifting accountability to the Department of Art and Culture, the Manipuri community staged a significant protest at the site on Wednesday.

The demonstrators demanded the strict punishment of officials implicated in the demolition of the over 95-year-old Redlands Bungalow, where the historic Merger Agreement of Manipur was signed in 1949, marking the transition of the erstwhile princely state of Manipur into the Indian Union.

They also called for an immediate suspension of all construction activities on the site until accountability is established. Furthermore, they rejected the government’s committee formed to “monitor and supervise the reconstruction” of the demolished bungalow, labeling it unacceptable as it includes officials allegedly responsible for the demolition.

The protesting groups urged the government to include local Manipuri representatives in the restoration oversight process to guarantee transparency and authenticity.

According to the protesting organizations, the iconic Redlands Bungalow was demolished on October 8 under the directives of the PDA, Manipur, in line with a “development plan” sanctioned by the Department of Art and Culture.

Despite numerous appeals over the past month from various organizations and individuals advocating for the preservation of the structure through careful restoration, the demolition was executed abruptly. The MECS and SMSU described the act as a severe insult to Manipur’s cultural and political legacy, asserting that the silence of the Manipur government only heightens public suspicion that the demolition was intentional.

The outrage among Manipuris, both in Meghalaya and Manipur, continues to escalate, with demands for a high-level independent probe gaining traction.

Numerous political parties—including the BJP and the Congress—alongside senior political leaders, MPs, and a multitude of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), student bodies, and the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the apex body of the Meitei community in Manipur, have been vocally protesting the demolition of the historic building and insisting on an inquiry into the Rajbari demolition.

The historic Redlands Building, constructed in the 1940s in Shillong, served as one of the residences of the erstwhile king, Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh. The building was demolished on October 8, reportedly to facilitate the construction of a new Manipur Bhavan or guest house for the Manipur government.

The demolition of the Redlands Buildings in Shillong has sparked widespread condemnation from various organizations, including the Meitei Heritage Society, historians, scholars, citizens, and experts who view the demolition as an irreparable loss to Manipur’s political and cultural heritage.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who also serves as the President of the National People's Party (NPP), visited Imphal last week to evaluate the ongoing ethnic crisis in Manipur.

In a media interaction, he explicitly denied any involvement of the Meghalaya government, asserting that no permission had been granted by his administration for the demolition.