New Delhi [India], October 22 (ANI): Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Rajasthan, alleging that over 70 photographs were removed from an art exhibition by Raihan Vadra at Bikaner House in the national capital.
Terming the alleged move an act of "censorship" and a "direct attack on democracy," Gehlot claimed that the authorities were unsettled by photographs depicting youth movements in Delhi.
In a post on X, the veteran Congress leader wrote, "More than 70 photographs were removed from Rehan Wadra's photo exhibition at Bikaner House in Delhi.
दिल्ली के बीकानेर हाउस में रेहान वाड्रा की फोटो प्रदर्शनी से 70 से ज़्यादा तस्वीरें हटवा दी गईं। बीकानेर हाउस राजस्थान सरकार की संपत्ति है। यानी भाजपा सरकार की निगरानी में एक युवा कलाकार की कला का गला घोंटा गया, जो बेहद निंदनीय है। इस प्रदर्शनी में कई तस्वीरें दिल्ली के युवा आंदोलनों की थीं। भाजपा को सबसे ज़्यादा डर उसी सच से लगता है जो जनता के सामने आ जाए। जो सरकार एक फोटो प्रदर्शनी से घबरा जाए, वह इन आंदोलनों के दौरान उठाए गए अनुचित कदमों को छिपाना चाहती है। रेहान वाड्रा को तिरंगे की दो तस्वीरों को हटाने के लिए कहा गया परन्तु उन्होंने तिरंगे वाली तस्वीरें हटाने से साफ़ इनकार कर दिया। उनकी यह दृढ़ता सराहनीय है। उन्होंने दिखा दिया कि तिरंगे के सम्मान पर कोई समझौता नहीं हो सकता। कलाकारों की आवाज़ दबाना लोकतंत्र पर सीधा हमला है। यह सेंसरशिप का स्पष्ट उदाहरण है। भाजपा सरकार जवाब दे कि सच्चाई बयां करने वाली तस्वीरें क्यों हटाई गईं।
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) October 22, 2026
Bikaner House is the property of the Rajasthan government. That is, under the oversight of the BJP government, the art of a young artist was stifled, which is utterly reprehensible."
Gehlot alleged that the administration was attempting to conceal ground realities by suppressing the artwork.
"The exhibition featured several photographs of Delhi's youth movements. The BJP is most afraid of precisely that truth which comes before the public. A government that gets rattled by a mere photo exhibition wants to hide the unjust steps it took during those movements," the post read.
The former Chief Minister also commended Vadra, stating that he refused to comply with requests to take down photographs depicting the national flag.
"Rehan Wadra was asked to remove two photographs featuring the tricolour, but he clearly refused to remove the ones with the tricolour. His steadfastness is commendable. He has shown that there can be no compromise on the honour of the tricolour," Gehlot said.
"Silencing the voices of artists is a direct attack on democracy. This is a clear example of censorship. The BJP government must answer why photographs that speak the truth were removed," he added.
Earlier, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday sent a subtle message to the government as she backed her son Raihan, who had alleged that the management of Bikaner House has asked him to remove certain photos of the Delhi protests, including that of the Tricolour, from his exhibition, which is to start today.
In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "@raihanrvadra. When someone with power becomes afraid of the expression of another, he doesn’t know it, but he has already lost the very power he is trying to protect. You stand for what is true, and everything beautiful will find its way to you. I am proud of you, always will be."
Meanwhile, Raihan Vadra alleged on Wednesday that the management of Bikaner House had objected to photographs depicting protests by young people in Delhi and had also instructed him to remove two images featuring the Indian Tricolour.
"Five hours ago, the management of Bikaner House compelled me to remove most of the artworks from my exhibition, 'No Idea Is Final,' which is scheduled to open this evening at 7 PM. The images in question depicted protests carried out by young people in Delhi. Evidently, the management found the content of these images 'objectionable.' They also instructed me to remove two images featuring the Tricolour," the statement read.
Raihan said he had refused to remove the images featuring the national flag and that the exhibition would proceed in a limited capacity for the time being.
"I have refused to do so; I will not remove the image of the Indian flag. For now, the exhibition will proceed in a limited capacity, but I will look for an alternative venue where I can display the entire collection of photographs related to the protests," the post read.
The exhibition, titled 'No Idea Is Final', was scheduled to open at 7 pm on Thursday. (ANI)
