Visual artist Raihan Vadra, son of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, has raised strong objections after the Bikaner House administration removed 70 photographs from his solo exhibition just hours before its scheduled opening.
The removed images documented recent youth protests across Delhi.
Vadra revealed that officials initially instructed him to remove two photographs depicting the Indian flag. Although he had voluntarily set aside pictures displaying explicit political slogans, officials argued that the context of the protests rendered even the national flag images political.
After requesting a written order—which was never provided—Vadra discovered that officials had taken down one flag photograph while he was off-site.
Criticising the move, Vadra asserted that cultural institutions must respect artistic expression rather than enforce political blanket bans. “You cannot function as an artistic institution and then say that political content is not allowed,” he stated.
Questioning the sudden decision, Vadra noted that he had submitted the complete exhibition layout on October 15. The removal has left three years of his work sidelined and gallery walls empty right before the grand opening.
