The Thadou Students’ Association (TSA) has strongly condemned the demolition of the historic Redlands Building (Manipur Rajbari) in Shillong, the very site where the 1949 Merger Agreement was signed, marking Manipur’s integration into the sovereign Indian Union. The Rajbari was not just a royal residence, it was the place where India’s sovereignty evolved in the North East, symbolizing the constitutional and political transition of the region into the Indian framework, a press release by the TSA said.
The TSA highlighted that the Rajbari is of deep historical and emotional significance for the Thadou community, as it was here that Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh, under house arrest, signed the merger agreement on 21st September 1949. Thadou chiefs, who tried to intervene, were denied access, making the event a defining moment of loyalty and loss for the community.
The Association criticized the Planning and Development Authority for demolishing the structure under the pretext of reconstruction. TSA demanded an independent inquiry, punitive action against the PDA, and authentic restoration of the Rajbari under qualified heritage experts. It also urged the Government of India, NEC, and the Manipur Art & Culture Department to declare the site a protected heritage monument.