Rehan Vadra Responds to Controversy Over Photo Exhibition at Bikaner House

New Delhi, October 22 (Daily Kiran) : Rehan Vadra, son of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is at the center of a controversy regarding his solo photo exhibition at Bikaner House in New Delhi. The management of Bikaner House requested the removal of over 70 photographs, prompting Vadra to speak out.

In an exclusive interview, Vadra stated that he had carefully reviewed Bikaner House’s policy on political content before selecting his images. He emphasized that his exhibition contained no political slogans and featured very few images of politicians.

“What happened is unfortunate,” Vadra remarked. “I tried to cooperate with Bikaner House as much as possible. I selected my photos based on their political content policy. We did not include political slogans, and there were hardly any photos of leaders. When they asked for some photos to be removed, I offered to cooperate. I said we could remove four or five photos if they provided reasons. Instead, they insisted on removing all 70.”

Vadra pointed out that as a public institution, Bikaner House has a responsibility to uphold and protect the freedom of expression for artists and galleries. He believes this was not honored in his case. He was informed that his images were against the institution’s policy. Many of the photos are also available on his Instagram, showcasing ordinary people. While some images depict protests, they primarily feature the general public.

He suggested that Bikaner House needs to clarify its policy, specifying what constitutes political content and who makes that determination. Vadra noted that since most artists engage with political themes, such a restrictive policy may not be appropriate.

When asked if his exhibition included images of his uncle Rahul Gandhi or his mother Priyanka Gandhi, he confirmed that a couple of photos had subtle hints of them. He carefully chose his images to avoid controversy.

Regarding whether he felt targeted due to his family connections, Vadra refrained from making any claims, stating that the reasons should be sought from the Bikaner House management. He also shared his mother’s reaction to the situation, saying, “She told me to do what you think is right.”