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, with one of his photographs at Bikaner House, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (PTI Photo)
New Delhi,Oct 22, 2026 07:29 IST
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 that 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 Raihan, the administration 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.
PRIYANKA GANDHI VADRA REACTS
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, reacting to the removal, said the photographs contained nothing derogatory and were only a visual record of events, cautioning that other artists could face similar restrictions.
“It's not a democracy anymore. Today it's him, tomorrow it'll be another artist,” she said.
OVER 70 PHOTOS REMOVED, WALLS LEFT BARE
According to news agency PTI, the exhibition initially featured more than 100 photographs and artworks, including wildlife images, abstract works and street photography documenting recent youth movements.
Raihan alleged that more than 70 photographs were removed, leaving around 40 on display.
The impact of the removal was visible in the exhibition space at the CCA building in Bikaner House. Two large rooms on the first floor were left largely bare, with nails still visible on the red walls where photographs had been displayed.
Copies of the Preamble to the Constitution were placed along the otherwise empty walls.
A Bikaner House official declined to comment, saying they were “not authorised to comment.”
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