New Delhi: The Congress on Friday questioned why the government is trying to curb the expression of a young artist after certain photographs of the recent youth protests by Raihan Vadra were barred from display at an exhibition at the Bikaner House here.
Raihan, the son of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Robert Vadra, said the Bikaner House administration pulled down many of his photographs of the recent protests in Delhi ahead of a solo exhibition.
Standing in support of the visual artist, the head of Congress’ media and publicity department, Pawan Khera, said Raihan is a young artist who has nothing to do with politics.
This was Raihan’s fourth solo show, and he had seen the works that have been removed, Khera said.
“They had the tricolour... What does this government have against the tricolour? Why is this government trying to curb the expression of a young artist?” Khera asked.
If the government is so ashamed of allowing an exhibition of photographs taken during the protests, it should not have done things that led to the protests in the first place, Khera said.
“The fact that China has entered India doesn’t matter to them. But the fact that the news (of protests) has come out matters to them. The fact that they have stolen elections doesn’t matter to them; but the fact that they have been caught red-handed and there are protests matters to them. For them, image is more important than the country’s interests – that’s this government’s story in one line,” Khera said.
On Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan inviting Raihan to host the exhibition in the southern state, Khera said, "Obviously, he belongs to the family of Priyanka Ji and Robert Ji. If someone invites him to host the exhibition in their state, nothing is wrong with that."
“I don’t understand what the BJP’s problem is… The fact of the matter is, they have been caught red-handed trying to stop the protesters, trying to stop people from taking pictures of the protests, trying to stop people from displaying those pictures,” the Congress leader alleged.
According to Raihan, the Bikaner House administration pulled down many of his artistic photographs of the protests at his solo exhibition titled 'No Idea is Final'.
Tagging Raihan and Priyanka, Satheesan said in an X post on Thursday, “Keralam would be happy and proud to host Raihan Vadra's ‘No Idea is Final’ exhibition in its entirety. No exclusions, no exceptions.”
Keralam BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has questioned the chief minister's offer, alleging “preferential treatment”.
The Bikaner House Society, however, said it had sought the removal of certain photographs from the exhibition after finding them “inconsistent” with its policy.
In a statement, the society said it is a public cultural institution dedicated to promoting art and culture, and that exhibitions and associated activities must comply with the Bikaner House Management Society’s policy.
Weighing in on the exhibition row, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said on Friday that “censorship” has driven “one more nail into the coffin” of India's global reputation as a freedom-loving democracy.
The photographs depicted events that have already been etched in public memory, and many of them would have echoed similar images that people have already seen in the media and online, Tharoor said.
Priyanka Gandhi had also criticised the move, saying those in power who fear artistic expression end up losing the very power they seek to protect.
Calling the removal of the photographs “ridiculous”, the Congress MP accused the authorities of “muzzling” the voices of young people across the country.
