The exhibition initially featured over 100 artworks, but Raihan alleged that more than 70 photographs were removed, leaving around 40 on display and two first-floor rooms at Bikaner House’s CCA building largely bare, while his mother Priyanka Gandhi condemned the move, saying, “It’s not a democracy anymore.”
Artist and photographer Raihan Vadra, son of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Robert Vadra, on Wednesday alleged that the Bikaner House administration pulled down several photographs documenting recent Delhi protests just hours before his solo exhibition was set to open, with his mother calling the move “ridiculous” and accusing the authorities of “muzzling” young voices.
The exhibition, titled No Idea is Final, was previewed on Wednesday and is scheduled to open on Thursday, running until Sunday.
Raihan said the administration told him at 3.30 pm that the photographs had to be taken down by 5 pm or the show would be cancelled. According to him, officials said it was not the right time to display the photographs because of their political context.
He maintained that the images were not intended to convey a political message but documented protests that had taken place over the past six months. He also said he had shared a detailed proposal and layout for the exhibition in advance.
“I felt it is my duty as an Indian artist…They are censoring the work of artists, I don’t know what they are scared of. They even went to the extent of removing the picture of the Indian flag,” Raihan said.
Questioning the rationale behind the decision, Raihan argued that art could not be separated from politics.
“First of all, you can’t say don’t show political art because all art is political. There is no art without politics,” he said.
In an exclusive conversation with India Today on Thursday, Raihan said the vice resident commissioner at Bikaner House had objected to a large portion of his collection just hours before the exhibition was due to open, describing the artworks as “objectionable”.
“I told them we have taken restraint ourselves and not put any political placards or banners, but they said that I have breached booking policy,” he said.
Raihan said he initially complied with the instructions by turning the artworks around so they would not be visible. However, the administration insisted that the works be removed entirely and placed in storage.
“The collection was not protest alone but my three years of work. As an artist, this is heartbreaking,” he said, expressing disappointment over the decision.
Questioning the venue’s approach to displaying art, Raihan said Bikaner House had a responsibility towards artists and their work. “It should not be like that — today there is a BJP government and they are not liking it, they should remove it, or there is Congress and they are not liking it, then it should be removed,” he said.
