“Evicted the Orphans, Opened a Hotel”: Gogoi Exposes Dima Hasao Fund Misuse

A government-funded orphanage built in Assam’s Dima Hasao district has allegedly been converted into a luxury hotel, triggering sharp political backlash and raising serious concerns about the transparency of public welfare initiatives in the state. The explosive revelation was made by Congress MP and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday, who took to social media to expose what he termed a blatant misuse of public funds.

According to Gogoi, the orphanage was originally constructed at a cost of ₹2.98 crore using funds from the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR), aimed at enhancing infrastructure in the Northeast. It was inaugurated by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on July 26, 2021, as a welfare home for orphaned children.

However, Gogoi alleged that within a few months of its inauguration, the children housed in the facility were removed. In 2022, the building underwent partial renovations. Most recently, on July 26, 2025 — exactly four years after its original inauguration — the same structure was re-inaugurated as a commercial property named "Hading Hotel."

Sharing visuals and documents through his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Gogoi asked, “From orphanage to luxury hotel — and all at the cost of public money. Is this the new model of public welfare in the ‘New Assam’?”

On 26-07-2021, Hon'ble CM Sri. Himanta Biswa Sharma inaugurated an orphanage home at Boro Haflong, Dima Hasao - built with Rs. 2.98 crore from the NLCPR Fund. Within months, the orphans were moved out. In 2022, the building was partially demolished and renovated.

Now, on…

— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) August 2, 2025

Sources have confirmed that the building, initially sanctioned under the NLCPR for the explicit purpose of child welfare, was significantly refurbished in 2022. Since then, it has been handed over to private operators and rebranded as a luxury hotel, marking a complete departure from its original intent.

The revelations have sparked political uproar, with the Congress and several opposition parties demanding a high-level probe into the diversion of the building's purpose. They have also called for an audit of the total expenditure and clarity on the legal and administrative steps that allowed the transformation of a public welfare institution into a commercial enterprise.

Several child welfare organisations and social workers have also slammed the move, calling it a betrayal of the building's original intent. They have termed the repurposing of the orphanage as a “fraud against the children it was meant to serve.”

Gogoi Slams Centre at Delhi Legal Conference

On the same day, Gaurav Gogoi addressed the annual Legal Conclave in New Delhi, speaking on the theme “Constitutional Challenges: Perspectives and Pathways.” During his address, Gogoi made several pointed remarks regarding the treatment of the Northeast under the current BJP-led central government.

Referring to issues such as the Assam Accord, Shillong Accord, Mizo Accord, and the anti-CAA protests, Gogoi said, “If there is any political party that has tried to truly understand and respect the emotions and sentiments of the Northeast, it is the Congress party.”

मैं नॉर्थ ईस्ट के राज्य असम से आता हूं। नॉर्थ ईस्ट के इतिहास, संस्कृति और सपनों को सिर्फ कांग्रेस पार्टी ने समझा है।

हमारी आकांक्षाओं को समझने और उसे सम्मान देने वाली भी कांग्रेस पार्टी है। जबकि मौजूदा सरकार को देखकर लगता है कि वो नॉर्थ ईस्ट को भूल चुकी है।

नॉर्थ ईस्ट का एक… pic.twitter.com/d4ZNhNfDcJ

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 2, 2025

He sharply criticised the central government for ignoring the Northeast, particularly in the case of the ongoing violence in Manipur. “Manipur is still burning. But the Prime Minister has not visited the state even once. The Home Minister too has not taken responsibility for the crisis,” said Gogoi.

He called it “unfortunate” that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has yet to accept moral responsibility for the widespread ethnic violence in Manipur and pointed to the BJP’s broader failure to handle such sensitive crises. “You cannot talk about Pahalgam, Pulwama, or Uri and conveniently skip Manipur from your list of failures,” Gogoi stated.

The Congress MP also launched a scathing attack on the ideological imposition of the RSS in tribal regions of the Northeast. “The RSS is actively trying to forcefully indoctrinate tribal communities with its ideology. Through this, it is undermining and attacking the traditional customs, cultures, and heritage of indigenous people,” he warned.

He further alleged that Christian minorities in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura are under systematic attack by the BJP governments in these states. Gogoi also accused the BJP of conspiring to transfer Sixth Schedule lands to corporate entities. “The government is attempting to hand over tribal lands to capitalists through orchestrated schemes,” he said.

Additionally, Gogoi expressed concern that the BJP government was trying to dilute the autonomy of self-governed tribal councils and autonomous district councils. “The BJP has been relentlessly trying to strip autonomous regions of their constitutional autonomy,” he said.

He also touched upon the issue of rising cybercrime against women, stating that the government has utterly failed to protect women from growing cyber harassment and abuse.

Concluding his address, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said, “Only through the Congress party’s vision of Panch Nyay (Five Pillars of Justice) can India achieve inclusive development — irrespective of caste, religion, ethnicity, or gender.”

Also Read: Hotel Built on Orphanage Funds? PAC Probe Sought Into Dima Hasao Welfare Scam

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