Politics

Raihan Vadra Forced to Remove 70 of 105 Protest Photos from Delhi Exhibition

By Akriti Anand

Raihan Vadra, the son of Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and businessman Robert Vadra, said on Thursday, October 22, that he was asked to remove 70 of his 105 photographs from his solo exhibition at Delhi’s Bikaner House. He said the request came just a day before the show’s opening. The incident prompted criticism from several opposition leaders, who accused the BJP‑led central government of setting a “clear example of censorship.”

Vadra, an artist and photographer, has held three solo exhibitions at Bikaner House: Dark Perception (July 2021), Anumana (December 2022) and Upamana (2024). His latest show, titled “No Idea Is Final,” was scheduled to open on Wednesday, October 21. According to Vadra, the Bikaner House management approached him 24 hours before the opening and said some of his images might be objectionable or against their policy. He asked for a written explanation, but received none.

At around 12:30 pm, the Deputy Resident Commissioner called him and demanded that he remove 70 of the 105 photographs, citing policy violations. Vadra said he had already removed images that contained overtly political slogans, street photography of youth movements in Delhi over the past year, and a few images of political leaders. He also noted that none of the images contained naras, although some showed political flags.

The Deputy Resident Commissioner later instructed Vadra to remove all images of the Indian flag, which he contested as not violating any policy. Vadra said he asked for a written notice, but none was provided. He claimed that officials removed one flag photograph themselves while he was preparing for the opening.

The Bikaner House has not issued an official statement on the matter. Priyanka Gandhi posted on X supporting her son and criticized the central government, saying that those who fear expression have already lost the power they claim to protect. Robert Vadra also expressed pride in his son’s courage.

Opposition leaders described the incident as a chilling metaphor for censorship. Congress leader Pawan Khera said the removal of a flag photograph left the walls bare, while former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot called the action a direct attack on democracy and demanded an explanation from the BJP government.

The controversy highlights ongoing tensions over artistic freedom and government censorship in India.