New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s son Raihan Vadra has alleged the removal of more than 70 photographs from his exhibition at Bikaner House in the national capital. The incident has led to a political row over gallery rules and freedom of expression.
Why the photographs were pulled
In a message addressed to him, she wrote, “When a person in power begins to fear another person’s expression, they do not realise that they have already lost the power they are trying to protect.
The management said photographs that did not comply with its policy had been removed. The controversy revolves around Bikaner House’s guidelines for exhibitions. The gallery’s booking rules prohibit material carrying politically motivated messages, communal themes or nudity. Bikaner House is located in Delhi’s Lutyens’ zone. The resident commissioner’s office in New Delhi oversees Bikaner House, while its managing committee and other Rajasthan government departments grant exhibition permissions. Congress Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi publicly supported her son after the photographs were removed. Stand up for the truth, and every beautiful thing will come to you. I am proud of you, always. Several Congress leaders also criticised the removal of the action and accused the authorities of restricting freedom of expression. The party has questioned the decision, particularly over Raihan’s claim that images featuring the national flag were removed. The gallery management has defended its action by citing its exhibition policy. The dispute has since become a political issue, with Congress leaders questioning the decision and the venue maintaining that its rules apply to the photographs displayed there. The BJP has also attacked Leader o Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his foreign visits. At a press briefing, a party spokesperson showed photographs and accused the Congress leader of meeting foreign individuals and agencies to create unrest in India.
It was historically the residence of the Maharaja of Bikaner and is now under the Rajasthan government. In today’s episode of DNA, Zee News Managing Editor Rahul Sinha conducted a detailed analysis into the controversy surrounding Raihan’s photo exhibition titled ‘No Idea Is Final’, examining why photographs of protests and rallies were removed, what the gallery management said about its rules and how Congress and BJP leaders have turned the dispute into a political battle.
