The incident has led to a political row over gallery rules and freedom of expression. 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.
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.
He had submitted a PDF containing the exhibition details, layout and photographs to Bikaner House officials a week before the opening, according to him. He said that he received no response before the photographs were installed at the venue.
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. 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 management said photographs that did not comply with its policy had been removed. Bikaner House described itself as a public cultural institution dedicated to promoting art and culture and said that exhibitors were required to follow its rules.
The row over Raihan’s photographs coincides with a series of political exchanges in which Congress and BJP leaders have used photographs to target each other. Congress leaders had recently questioned Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri over a photograph, while Rahul had also criticised the government. BJP leaders subsequently responded with Rahul’s photographs.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah separately criticised the Congress over “negative politics” and questioned the Congress leader’s overseas trips.
