‘It’s not a democracy anymore’: Priyanka Gandhi slams removal of Raihan Vadra’s protest photos

New Delhi: Artist and photographer Raihan Vadra, son of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and businessman Robert Vadra, has alleged that the Bikaner House administration removed more than 70 photographs documenting recent protests in Delhi ahead of his solo exhibition.

Titled No Idea is Final, the exhibition was previewed on Wednesday and is scheduled to open on Thursday. It will continue until Sunday, with around 40 photographs remaining on display after more than 70 were taken down.

Raihan said the administration informed him at 3.30 pm on Wednesday that the images had to be removed by 5 pm or the exhibition would be cancelled. He claimed the management had objected to the political nature of the photographs, citing the prevailing political climate.

“They said it is not the right time for such photos to be shown,” Raihan told PTI.

He maintained that the photographs did not convey any political message but documented protests over the past six months. He also said he had shared the exhibition's detailed proposal and layout with the Bikaner House management well in advance.

“I felt it is my duty as an Indian artist, not just because I am doing a show right now, but it is my duty as an Indian artist to document what is going on,” he said.

Raihan questioned the decision to remove the photographs, including one featuring the Indian flag, and accused the administration of censoring artists.

“I don't know what they are scared of. They even went to the extent of removing the picture of the Indian flag,” he said.

According to Raihan, the management contacted him on Tuesday evening to raise objections to the protest photographs and request their removal. He argued that asking for nearly half the artworks to be taken down less than 24 hours before the exhibition opened was unfair, particularly since the layout had been shared in advance.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra calls move ‘ridiculous’

Reacting to the development, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised the decision, describing it as an attempt to silence young voices.

“I think it's ridiculous. What do you think? He is a young boy but I suppose you know, they are muzzling the voice of the youth across the nation. So it's only expected that they'll do it to anyone,” she told PTI.

She said the photographs contained no commentary or derogatory material against anyone and were simply a visual record of protests.

“It's not a democracy anymore. Today it's him, tomorrow it'll be another artist,” she said.

A Bikaner House official declined to comment, saying the administration was not authorised to do so.

The exhibition initially featured more than 100 photographs spanning wildlife, abstract art and street photography documenting recent youth movements in India. Following the removal of the protest images, the first-floor rooms of the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) building were left with empty red walls, marked by the nails where the photographs had hung. The Preamble to the Constitution remained displayed along the walls.

Despite the removal of the photographs, the exhibition is scheduled to open as planned on Thursday.