The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday claimed that a clash was brewing between siblings Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, alleging infighting within the Congress over Rahul Gandhi’s silence
on Raihan Vadra’s Bikaner House art exhibition.
“It is Priyanka vs Rahul in Congress,” tweeted BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, questioning Rahul Gandhi’s silence over the removal of certain photographs from Raihan Vadra’s exhibition after Bikaner House found them inconsistent with its policy.
Bhandari claimed that Raihan’s original proposal, sent to Bikaner House on June 10, focused on nature, wildlife, artwork and sculpture, without any political content. He alleged that the venue accepted the proposal on June 30, but photographs documenting protests were added later, prompting the administration to seek their removal on October 21.
According to the BJP spokesperson, Raihan was aware of the venue’s guidelines and had initially planned an exhibition that complied with its restrictions. Bhandari alleged that the political photographs were subsequently included under pressure from his family as part of an attempt to launch him politically.
“Under pressure of his family for a political launch, the political photographs were inserted later on, to which Bikaner House reverted, asking for their removal on October 21, 2026,” Bhandari said.
“Rahul Gandhi, who from Vietnam is tweeting on every issue under the sun, has till now not openly done a single tweet in favour of Raihan Vadra,” he added.
The controversy erupted after Raihan alleged that Bikaner House officials had asked him to remove more than 70 photographs from his exhibition, No Idea Is Final, shortly before it was scheduled to open. The photographs included images documenting recent youth-led protests in the national capital.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised the decision, accusing those in power of suppressing young voices. Raihan, meanwhile, said he had submitted the exhibition material in advance and questioned why objections had been raised so close to the opening.
Bikaner House subsequently said certain photographs had been found inconsistent with its policy. Officials said the venue’s exhibitions were intended to focus on culture and wildlife, and that the images removed carried political messaging.
