Why BJP Preserves One Monument but Erases 2000-Year Legacy of Manipur

The stark contrast in the treatment of two historical sites linked to Manipur's past—the meticulously preserved Indian National Army (INA) Advanced Headquarters hut in Moirang Konjengbam Leikai and the recently demolished Red Land Building in Shillong—exposes a deliberate pattern of intentional erasure in BJP's historical narrative. 

Both historical monuments were included in the infrastructure development of the government.

Dubbed the “Revolutionary Declaration of Freedom,” this event united aspirations across India, making Moirang a beacon of anti-colonial defiance. The state has invested Rs 35 crore to transform this 2,443 sq. ft. site into a global tourist destination, managed by the Manipur Police Housing Corporation Ltd. A protective covering layer preserves the fragile mud house, complemented by a museum, Netaji’s statue, and visitor facilities. 

Meanwhile, last month, in September, the Ministry of DoNER allocated Rs 2 crore for the "Infrastructure Development of Heritage Complex, Rajbari" in Shillong—an announcement that coincided suspiciously with the October demolition of the Red Land Building, where the 1949 Manipur Merger Agreement was signed. Was this funding, part of a Rs 6.67 crore Manipur package, intended to erase a symbol of Manipur’s 2,000-year sovereignty under the guise of "heritage development"?

The INA hut, a modest thatched structure from World War II which hoisted the tricolor flag on Indian soil for the first time, has been safeguarded with exquisite care, retaining every original mud wall and bamboo beam. Converted into a memorial complex with museums and visitor amenities, it amplifies the triumphant saga of the Indian freedom struggle, positioning Manipur as a heroic contributor to national liberation. This preservation celebrates a unified anti-colonial resistance, seamlessly woven into India's post-independence identity.

In sharp opposition, the Red Land Building in Shillong—site of the 1949 Manipur Merger Agreement signed by Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh—was bulldozed mere days ago, its remnants erased from the earth. This location, once the Maharaja's residence during the negotiations, embodied the end of our sovereign civilization, a kingdom with roots in ancient chronicles and independent governance. The demolition has ignited fury across Manipur and Meghalaya, people decrying it as a calculated move to obliterate evidence of a contentious merger often perceived as coerced annexation. 

Also Read: Who Bulldozed Red Land in Shillong? The Guilty Must Be Punished Before History Fades

Unlike the INA site, which glorifies shared national valor, Red Land evoked uncomfortable truths: the loss of autonomy, alleged duress during the signing, and the subjugation of a vibrant regional identity to central authority.This disparity is no accident; it reeks of intentional erasure. By preserving the INA hut in pristine detail, authorities "sing" the praises of the freedom struggle, elevating symbols that reinforce a monolithic Indian narrative. Yet, the swift razing of Red Land—despite its historical significance and amid calls for protection—suggests a purposeful silencing of Manipur's pre-merger legacy. 

Erasing physical markers like Red Land conveniently mutes debates over the merger's legitimacy, burying artifacts of a civilization that predates modern India. This selective amnesia prioritizes national unity myths over regional truths, effectively colonizing history itself.Such intentional acts deepen alienation in Manipur, where ethnic conflicts simmer and demands for historical justice grow. 

By glorifying one era while expunging another, BJP risks perpetuating division rather than fostering inclusion. True reconciliation requires acknowledging all layers of the past—preserving Red Lands' memory alongside the INA's heroism. Without it, the erasure of Manipur's ancient heritage becomes a deliberate tool in the arsenal of centralized power, silencing millennia of civilization under the guise of progress. 

This juxtaposition—of obliterating Red Land and exalting Moirang—reveals a selective politics of memory in Manipur, where ethnic tensions among Meiteis, Nagas, and Kuki dictate which facets of its civilization are buried and which are celebrated.The Red Lands and the INA Advanced Headquarters encapsulate two defining moments for Manipur’s civilization, tied to sovereignty and identity, yet treated with opposing reverence.

The 1949 Merger Agreement at Red Land marked the end of an independent Manipur, a civilization with a rich tapestry of royal dynasties, multi-ethnic alliances, and territorial reach. Signed under alleged coercion, it remains a wound for Meiteis. The demolition under the President Rule executed without public consultation or heritage consideration, is seen as a deliberate act to erase this sensitive history, aligning with narratives that prioritize India’s unified identity over Manipur’s pre-merger legacy. 

No VIPs marked the demolition, and the silence from state and central authorities deepens mistrust, with people viewing it as a calculated silencing of their civilizational pride.Conversely, the INA Advanced Headquarters at Moirang, where the INA flag was raised on April 14, 1944, represents a moment of triumphant resistance within Manipur’s civilization. Housed in Hemam Nilamani Singh’s tin-roofed residence at Moirang Konjengbam Leikai, it was the first and only INA Advanced Headquarters on liberated Indian soil. For three months, Col. Shaukat Ali Malik and Indo-Japanese forces mobilized from this site to attack the British 17th Column at Bishnupur, aiming to capture Imphal. 

Moreover, the history of Manipur is a battleground of competing narratives, with over 20 rock edicts and carvings from Meitei rulers asserting the kingdom’s reach from the Naga Hills to the Indo-Myanmar border. These artifacts, often in archaic Meitei script, are vital for reconstructing Manipur’s civilization, yet their preservation is uneven. Valley sites like Kangla Fort and the INA House are lavishly restored, while the important stone artifacts located in the hills face neglect, disappearance, or contestation. 

The Pamheiba Stone Inscription in Pherzawl’s Bangai Range, a 58x56 cm slab from 1734, illustrates medieval weapons—spears, bows, Arambai darts, and Nongmei Ashubi guns—used by a multi-ethnic army, including 10,000 hill tribes. Erected by King Pamheiba during a campaign against Tripura, as per the Cheitharol Kumbaba chronicle, it testifies to Manipur’s martial heritage. 

The four stones of Tarao Pal in Chandel, dating from the 6th century to Gambhir Singh’s era, mark Manipur’s eastern frontiers. King Kiyamba’s (1467–1508) inscriptions prohibit slavery and animal theft, declaring the village an eastern guard post after the Kabaw Valley annexation. Partially preserved in museum facsimiles, these stones face degeneration.

The three inscriptions at Khoibu village near Kabaw Valley, spanning the 5th to 17th centuries, exempt the village from tributes and torture but are vulnerable to disappearance amid border disputes.The Kohima Stone of Gambhir Singh, described by British officer James Johnstone as subjugating the Angami Nagas post-1826, celebrates Meitei conquests. Replicas are preserved, but the original risks loss in Nagaland. 

The Chivu Stone in Behiang, tied to Maharaja Chandrakirti’s 1872 Lushai Expedition was destroyed by Kuki militants during the Manipur violence in 2023. Cultural legends like the Khamba-Thoibi stones at Salangthel Hill, tied to Meitei folklore, are revered but threatened by violence and urbanization. 

The Hungdung stones in Ukhrul’s Hungpung village, bearing footprints of Meitei kings and Tangkhul chiefs, symbolize fraternal bonds between Tangkhul and Meitei.

The Central government’s renaming of Mount Harriet as Mount Manipur in honor of Maharaja Kulachandra and 1891 Anglo-Manipur War exiles. The Mount Manipur Memorial integrates Manipur’s defiance into India’s freedom narrative, blending ecological and historical preservation. 

The BJP government’s contrasting treatment of Manipur’s historical sites—glorifying the INA Headquarters hut in Moirang while demolishing Shillong’s Red Land Building—exposes a deliberate bias in curating the region’s past. The INA hut, preserved with its original mud and bamboo as a symbol of India’s freedom struggle, is celebrated with a museum complex, reinforcing a unified national narrative. 

Conversely, Red Land, where the 1949 Manipur Merger Agreement ended a 2,000-year-old sovereign civilization, was razed under the pretext of infrastructure development, erasing a site of profound regional significance. This selective preservation fuels perceptions of BJP as orchestrating an intentional erasure of Manipur’s pre-merger identity to favor a homogenized Indian story. 

The demolition has deepened public distrust, with many in the state viewing the party as dismissive of their heritage and ethnic sensitivities, using "development" as a flimsy excuse to suppress inconvenient histories.

By glorifying one site while obliterating another, BJP risks alienating communities, perpetuating division rather than unity. This cherry-picking of history exposes a troubling agenda, prioritizing political narratives over Manipur’s ancient legacy, leaving lasting scars on the region’s collective memory!