At last, the ownership of 'Redlands' and La Chatallette in the posh Laitumkhrah area of Shillong had been restored to Manipur, after a long legal battle. It was given to Maharaj Churachand Singh in exchange of his earlier property located near the picturesque 'Wards Lake' in 1935-36 by the Assam government. The legal mess began after Maharaj Bodhachandra’s son Okendrajit allegedly sold off the entire property of Redlands including land, building, out-houses, assets to one Nismit Laloo and J Pyngrope for Rs 4 lakh on February 27,1980. The controversy came out in open when Laloo and cohorts came to evict the residents of the Rajbari and forcibly occupy the property. The property is still inhabited by the families including that of the agents of the former Maharaj who were posted there to look after the property. In the year 1988, the then Chief Minister of Manipur RK Jaichandra Singh took up measures to settle the matter out of court in consultation. He even sent the state Finance Minister L Lalit Singh to Shillong to pursue the matter with the Meghalaya government. Accordingly, it was agreed to settle the matter by paying a sum of Rs. 11 lakh (Eleven lakh). Unluckily, the transaction fizzled out due to the fall of Congress Ministry. Taking advantage of the situation, Laloo fraudulently occupied a portion of Redlands and even constructed a concrete house. The Government of Manipur finally filed a case in 1994.
After long and tedious negotiations, Meghalaya government finally transferred the land rights of the said estate to Manipur government. The title deed of the land measuring 1.93 acres at Redlands of Laitumkhrah Shillong was given in favour of the Government of Manipur, on payment of premium of Rs 91,04,784 including land revenue with effect from 2008 amounting to Rs 24,271. This is indeed a feather in the cap of Chief Minister N Biren Singh and fulfilment of the demand of several state based civil society organisations. It was at Shillong Rajbari where Maharaj Bodhachandra stayed when he was summoned and put under house arrest to coerce him into signing the controversial Manipur Merger Agreement with the Dominion of India in September 1949. So, the estate has both sentimental and historical importance and is part of our heritage.
When Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh posted the transfer of title deed to Manipur government, we were thrilled at the news. He had achieved what RK Jaichandra could not. But, we are particularly concerned with his announcement that the estate would be converted into Manipur Bhawan while saying that the plot no longer belongs to the Royal family of Manipur. He had pointed out that the plot measuring 1.93 acres at Redlands in Shillong’s prime Laitumkhrah area was handed over after several rounds of talks over a long period of time between successive governments of the two states. Manipur Bhawan at the national capital Delhi and other states mean construction of new and modern buildings for accommodation of Manipuris while venturing out of the state for official purposes or medical treatment. But, the Shillong Rajbari is altogether a different matter. Here, one should be talking about restoring the Rajbari to its past glory and splendour. The structures at Shillong Rajbari is part of our heritage and it would indeed be befitting to restore and rejuvenate them. If at all, new structures are to be built, it should not disturb the heritage buildings.
