Artist and photographer Raihan Vadra, son of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Robert Vadra, has alleged that the management of Bikaner House in New Delhi forced him to remove the bulk of the artworks from his solo exhibition 'No Idea is Final' just hours before it opened on Wednesday evening. The photographs in question documented recent youth protests in Delhi, and Vadra said he had shared a detailed proposal and layout of the show with the management well in advance.

Source: PTI via Indian White Paper

Vadra said he was told at 3.30 pm that the images had to come down by 5 pm or the show would be cancelled, with the administration citing the current context and political climate. He alleged that he was also asked to remove two photographs of the Indian flag and refused, saying: 'I will not take down a picture of the Indian flag.' Reports citing Vadra put the contested images at roughly 74, with about 40 works left on view; the exact number varies between reports.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra condemned the removal as 'ridiculous' and as muzzling the voice of the youth and artists, telling PTI: 'Today it's him, tomorrow it'll be another artist.' On Thursday, amid the row, she said that when someone with power becomes afraid of the expression of another, he has already lost the very power he is trying to protect, PTI reported.

Source: PTI via The Sen Times

Congress leaders Pawan Khera and Karti Chidambaram also criticised the venue's administration, and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot called the episode censorship. A Bikaner House official said they were not authorised to comment, and no full official statement from the venue management or the Rajasthan government had been reported at the time of writing, so the removal account rests largely on Vadra and his supporters. The exhibition, which also includes wildlife and abstract work, was previewed on Wednesday, opens on Thursday and runs till Sunday in reduced form, and Vadra says he will look for another venue for the full protest series.