Lakhipur, June 23: A fresh controversy has surfaced in Assam’s Lakhipur subdivision after a welcome arch bearing the words “Dima Raji” was erected during the visit of Cabinet Minister Kaushik Rai, reviving discussions over the long-pending proposal to include 19 villages of the area under Dima Hasao district.
Rai, who recently took oath for a second term in the Assam Cabinet, visited Lakhipur on June 22. Several welcome arches were installed across the subdivision to greet the minister, but one structure in the Pailapool area attracted particular attention and sparked debate among residents and political circles.
According to local sources, the arch was put up in front of the residence of Dimasa leader Nabada Johari, also known as Nabada Barman. The inscription on the structure read, “Greetings, Nabada Johari, Pailapool, Dima Raji.”
Images of the arch soon circulated widely on social media, triggering renewed discussion over the proposal to merge 19 villages under Lakhipur subdivision with Dima Hasao district. The issue has remained sensitive for years, with several organisations and community groups opposing any alteration of existing administrative boundaries and insisting that the villages remain within Cachar district.
In the past, various groups have organised protests, submitted memoranda and carried out awareness campaigns against the proposed inclusion. The matter has repeatedly generated concerns among residents regarding identity, administrative affiliation and access to government services.
Against this backdrop, the appearance of the term “Dima Raji” on the welcome arch was viewed as significant by many. A section of residents argued that, since no official decision has been taken on the issue, such references could create confusion and reignite tensions surrounding the proposal.
The development has also prompted discussions in political circles, with some questioning whether the inscription reflected the views of individual supporters or was intended to send a wider political message. However, no statement has been issued either by the organisers of the arch or by those associated with it.
As photographs of the structure continue to circulate online, the issue of bringing the 19 villages under Dima Hasao district has once again returned to the centre of public debate in Lakhipur and neighbouring areas.
