Rehan Vadra says he chose photos after reading Bikaner House rules, calls removal order unfair

A major controversy has erupted over a solo photo exhibition by Rehan Vadra, son of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The exhibition is to be held at Bikaner House in Delhi. The Bikaner House management asked for more than 70 photographs to be removed, and Rehan Vadra has now responded.

Speaking to a news agency, Rehan Vadra said he had read all of Bikaner House's terms and conditions relating to political matters, and chose his photographs only after that. According to him, the exhibition had very little political sloganeering or photographs of leaders.

Rehan said, "Whatever has happened, I feel it is wrong. This is an injustice to me." He said he had cooperated with Bikaner House as much as he could. He said the photographs were chosen after reading the condition on political matters. He said he had not publicised any political sloganeering, and that there were not many photographs of leaders either.

According to Rehan, when Bikaner House officials asked for the photographs to be removed, he replied that he would do as they said. He said that if four or five photographs had to be removed, they should go ahead, but they should also give the reason. Rehan said he did not get that reason. According to him, he was told that all 70 of 70 photographs would have to be removed.

Rehan Vadra said that as a public institution, Bikaner House has a responsibility to uphold and protect the freedom of expression of artists and art galleries. He said, "I feel nothing of the sort happened in this case." In his view, this is an attack on freedom of expression.

Rehan said he was told his photographs were against the institution's rules. Many of his photographs are also on Instagram, and they show only ordinary people. He accepted that the photographs relate to protests, but said only ordinary people would be seen in them.

Rehan said Bikaner House should frame its rules in more detail. He asked what political material means and who decides it. In his view, this too should be made clear. He also said most artists are political, so in his opinion such rules should not exist at all.

He was asked whether his photographs include any of his uncle Rahul Gandhi or his mother Priyanka Gandhi. Rehan said a faint glimpse of them is visible in one or two photographs. He said he had chosen the photographs thinking of every angle, so that there would be no controversy.

Asked whether he was targeted because of his mother or uncle, Rehan said he could not say anything on that. In his view, only Bikaner House officials can answer. Asked how his mother reacted to the removal of the photographs, he said that on learning of it she told him to do whatever he felt was right.