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Bikaner House removes protest photographs from Raihan Vadra exhibition

The Delhi venue asked the Congress leader's son to take down images from his show before opening, prompting allegations of censorship and political debate.

23 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Bikaner House removes protest photographs from Raihan Vadra exhibition — Archive photoPhoto: Shahadin · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Raihan Vadra, son of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, alleged that the management of Bikaner House in Delhi asked him to remove a substantial portion of photographs from his solo exhibition, titled No Idea Is Final, shortly before the show was scheduled to open. According to Vadra's account, he was asked to take down images documenting recent protests in the capital. Among the photographs objected to were two depicting the Indian flag, which Vadra said he refused to remove.

Bikaner House issued a statement saying that photographs deemed inconsistent with the society's policy were not displayed, while those consistent with its policy continued to be shown. Vadra countered that he had shared a detailed proposal and outline of the exhibition with the management well in advance. The exhibition was described as featuring wildlife and street photography alongside the protest documentation.

Priyanka Gandhi and her husband Robert Vadra expressed support for their son. Priyanka Gandhi posted an emotional message, while Robert Vadra said his son was under considerable pressure during the dispute. According to reports, Vadra expressed concerns about censorship and its impact on artistic expression following the objections from the venue.

The political row escalated when BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia criticized the Gandhi family, taking what was characterized as a "launch" jibe at Raihan Vadra and drawing a comparison to Rahul Gandhi. The controversy drew responses from other political figures, including criticism of the removal described as "a disgrace at so many levels."

Keralam's Chief Minister Satheesan offered to host Vadra's exhibition in the state without restrictions, according to reports. The offer came after Vadra's account of the photographs being pulled down by Bikaner House administration.

As of the available reports, the dispute remained unresolved, with disagreement between Vadra and Bikaner House over whether the removed images violated venue policy or constituted an act of censorship against artistic expression.

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