The controversy over the removal of photographs from the exhibition of Raihan Vadra, son of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, at Bikaner House intensified on Thursday, with the venue defending its action and the Congress and the BJP sparring over the move.After the Bikaner House Management Society said in a statement that certain photographs displayed at Raihan’s exhibition, “No Idea Is Final”, were found to be “inconsistent” with its policy, which bars political content, Raihan said “all art is political”.The visual artist and photographer accused the venue’s management of restricting political expression and his mother and Congress general secretary Priyanka Vadra backed him with an emotional message on the power of free speech.“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,” she said, signing off as “mama”.Raihan said the management had raised objections to some of the photographs just 24 hours before its scheduled opening at 7 pm on Wednesday, asking him to remove 75 of the 105 pictures or face cancellation of the exhibition, which features images documenting recent youth-led protests in the national capital.“I did not believe they were objectionable, but I was happy to discuss the matter and asked them to get back to me in writing as to what the objections were,” he said. Raihan said he was particularly upset over the removal of a photograph of the national flag in his absence, questioning how an institution hosting an art exhibition could restrict political expression.While Congress spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Khera attacked the venue management for curbing free speech and alleged that even photographs featuring the Tricolour had become objectionable to those overseeing the exhibition, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari targeted Priyanka, saying there are “other different ways” to launch a son.Bhandari questioned the “use of the Tricolour as a cover for peddling a false narrative”.He cited Bikaner House’s policy barring political content and said such material was required to be removed immediately.Bhandari also asked if Priyanka had lost faith in her brother Rahul Gandhi that she was now seeking to launch Raihan politically.The exhibition, featuring wildlife, abstract and street photography, besides protest images, is open at Bikaner House till October 25.