Censorship gave Raihan Vadra publicity, says Shashi Tharoor, shares BBC India Reel

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has called the removal of Raihan Vadra's protest photographs from Bikaner House a "disgrace". He said the "censorship" had backfired, giving more publicity to Vadra than the exhibition would have given. Tharoor shared a BBC News India Reel on the row.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has slammed the removal of protest photographs from Raihan Vadra's exhibition at Delhi's Bikaner House, terming it "censorship" and "disgrace at so many levels". Tharoor said the move damaged India's global reputation even as it generated more publicity for Raihan Vadra than the exhibition would have.

Tharoor argued that photographs documenting protests were not political statements in themselves and questioned the restrictions imposed on the exhibition. He also said the controversy had backfired, giving the "photographic talents and career" of Raihan Vadra a "well-deserved boost", sharing an Instagram Reel of BBC News India on the row.

Tharoor's remarks came after Bikaner House ordered the removal of dozens of photographs from the exhibition of Vadra, son of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, shortly before its October 21 opening.

In a post on X on Friday, October 23, Tharoor said the censorship had driven "one more nail into the coffin of India's global reputation as a freedom-loving democracy."

Earlier this week, controversy erupted after Raihan Vadra said he was asked to remove 74 of the 105 photographs from his exhibition, No Idea Is Final, at New Delhi's Bikaner House, shortly before its October 21 opening.

Vadra argued that the photographs, mostly documenting anti-CEC and anti-SIR protests in Delhi, were removed despite the exhibition layout having been shared with the management in advance. Bikaner House defended the restrictions, citing its exhibition policy, while Priyanka Gandhi criticised the decision. Meanwhile, the Congress-led government of Kerala offered to host the complete exhibition.

Reacting to the row, Tharoor argued that documenting a protest was different from endorsing its political message. He suggested that the restrictions by the exhibition's hosts would struggle to withstand judicial scrutiny on freedom-of-expression grounds.

THAROOR SAYS CENSORSHIP HAS BACKFIRED

In a post on X on Friday, Tharoor said the photographs depicted events already widely covered by the media. "The images are of events that have already been burned into the public consciousness," he wrote on X.

"While Bikaner House is free to have a policy against political stands, photographs of a protest demonstration are a depiction of an event and not political in themselves," Tharoor added.

He argued that the photographs would "almost certainly have passed muster" had the dispute reached a court as a freedom-of-expression case.

Tharoor also pointed to the publicity generated by the controversy.

"Anyway, the publicity this episode has received will have reached a far larger audience, in Delhi and worldwide, than the exhibition itself might have, had it been allowed to proceed undisturbed," he wrote, sharing a link to an Instagram Reel by BBC News India.

"I thank heavy-handed officials for giving a well-deserved boost to the photographic talents and career of Raihan Vadra," Tharoor added.

BIKANER HOUSE DEFENDS REMOVAL. MOTHER PRIYANKA GANDHI REACTS. KERALA OFFERS VENUE

On Thursday (October 22), the Bikaner House Management Society defended its decision, citing exhibition guidelines. "Certain photographs displayed as part of Mr Raihan Vadra's exhibition, 'No Idea Is Final,' at Bikaner House were found to be inconsistent with the policy of the Bikaner House Management Society," it said.

The management maintained that photographs complying with its policy remained on display. Vadra, however, questioned why objections were raised so close to the opening despite the layout having been shared earlier.

Priyanka Gandhi criticised the restrictions on Thursday, calling them "ridiculous" and questioning the curbs on artistic expression. "Today it's him, tomorrow it'll be another artist," she told PTI.

Kerala Chief Minister, VD Satheesan subsequently offered to host the complete exhibition. "Kerala would be happy and proud to host Raihan Vadra's No Idea Is Final exhibition in its entirety. No exclusions, no exceptions," he wrote on X.

Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar questioned the offer, and accused the Congress of applying different standards to politically connected individuals.

For Tharoor, the irony is that the attempt to restrict Vadra's photographs has achieved the opposite of what censorship usually seeks to do.