Raihan Vadra, the 26-year-old nephew of Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, says he was made to take down several artworks documenting youth protests from his exhibition at a government-run cultural centre in New Delhi. He said management at Bikaner House made the request just hours before the show opened on Wednesday, calling the works “objectionable.”
Vadra, the son of lawmaker Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, said in a social media post that the pictures showed youth protests in Delhi. He added that he was also told to remove two photographs of the Indian flag, but he refused.
Bikaner House cites policy concerns over photographs
The Bikaner House Management Society said it had asked for the removal of “certain photographs” that did not match its policies, but it gave no further details. In a statement on Thursday, it said the images consistent with its policy were still on display.
The venue is owned by the western state of Rajasthan, which is governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. The exhibition, titled “No Idea is Final,” remains listed on the venue’s website, which describes it as featuring photographs, multimedia artworks and installations.
Youth protests pose a challenge to Modi’s government
Youth protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party have emerged as a major test for Modi’s administration. A weeks-long sit-in led to the resignation of the education minister in July over exam paper leaks.
Demonstrations flared again this month, with opposition groups led by Gandhi demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over a contested revision of voter lists. Thousands of people were detained and parts of central Delhi were repeatedly locked down, drawing criticism of the government’s handling of the unrest.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra responds on social media
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on social media on Thursday that a powerful person who becomes afraid of another’s expression loses the very power he is trying to protect, often without realising it.
