Imphal, October 13: Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President, K. Meghachandra Singh, on Monday strongly condemned the demolition of the historic Manipur Rajbari located at Redlands, Laitumkhrah, Shillong — a site deeply significant to the people of Manipur for its historical and emotional value.

Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhawan, Imphal, Meghachandra said the Rajbari, which once belonged to the Maharaja of Manipur, is where Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh resided during the signing of the Manipur Merger Agreement with the Dominion of India in September 1949. He termed the demolition an “unforgivable act of negligence and disrespect” to Manipur’s history and identity, carried out under the watch of the so-called Double Engine Government at both the Centre and the State.

He demanded that the Government of India and the Meghalaya Government immediately clarify the circumstances that led to the destruction of the heritage site and take urgent steps to restore and preserve it as a protected heritage monument.

The MPCC President further held the BJP and its allies, including the National People’s Party (NPP), accountable for the incident. He criticised the NPP — a ruling partner of the NDA — for its silence on the demolition, questioning why the party did not intervene despite governing Meghalaya, where the monument stood.

“The NPP talks about regional pride, yet remained mute when our royal heritage was destroyed. Their silence is an insult to the sentiments of Manipuris across the world,” he said.

Reacting to recent remarks by NPP President and Meghalaya Chief Minister Shri Conrad K. Sangma, Meghachandra clarified that the Congress Party in Manipur is not motivated by political opportunism but by principles, accountability, and the interest of the people.

He asserted that the ongoing political crisis, social unrest, and administrative breakdown in Manipur are the direct consequences of the BJP-led Double Engine Government’s divisive, corrupt, and insensitive rule — a regime the NPP continues to support both at the Centre and in the State.

Reaffirming the Congress Party’s commitment to justice, peace, and the preservation of Manipur’s cultural and historical identity, Meghachandra appealed to all democratic forces and civil society organisations to unite in defending the state’s heritage and holding the ruling alliance accountable for its repeated failures.