Kalimpong, Dec. 6: The DGHC’s department of information and cultural affairs has “advised” organisers of various festivals in the hills to schedule items that highlight the tribal origins of the Gorkhas during such jamborees.

This, the department said, was necessary in view of the efforts of GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh to secure Sixth Schedule status for the hills. Both the Centre and the state government, of course, have agreed “in principle” to grant the special status, which, otherwise, is applicable only to tribal-dominated regions of the northeastern states.

“A lot of media interest is generated during such festivals, and by featuring programmes that showcase our tribal roots, we will be doing our bit for the Sixth Schedule cause,” said Tika Khati, the executive officer of the department.

However, not everyone is convinced that the DGHC culture department is acting in good faith. Its unsolicited advice, they argue, is either a case of cultural policing or an attempt to get at the organisers of Darjeeling Carnival, which has been successfully held for the last three years. The fourth edition of the 10-day event begins on Friday. Pleading that the matter be best ignored, Ajay Edwards, president of Darjeeling Initiative, the event organisers, said the idea behind staging the show is to celebrate the composite culture of the hill town.

“The carnival involves all the communities of Darjeeling, not just the Gorkhas,” he said. Edwards added that the carnival has always featured events that highlighted the ethnic diversity of the hills. “We look at culture as an evolving museum. Which explains why we feature Western music at the carnival since, like it or not, it has become a part of our culture,” he said.

Edwards was trying to deflect the criticism that the carnival has become too “elitist” and do not portray Darjeeling in its true essence. “They should look beyond the Keventers crowd while planning their programmes,” advised one such critic.

Controversy and criticism notwithstanding, the organisers of the event are burning the midnight oil to make the carnival a success. This year, the festivities can also be enjoyed in Kurseong from December 12 to 14 and Mirik from December 8 to 10. However, Kalimpong, which used to host a winter festival of its own around this time, is the odd one out this time.