Delhi police assures Delhi High Court it won't disrupt anti-war painting exhibition

The Delhi police on Friday told the Delhi High Court that it will not interfere with a 25-year-old artist's May 25 anti-war painting exhibition, which is meant to raise awareness about the horrors of war in the wake of bombings in Palestine..The artist Keshaw Anand is a member of the Progressive Artist League, which is a collective of artists based in Delhi that organises art exhibitions, film screenings and other events. One such event is coming up tomorrow. In order to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Anand posted on social media that he will be organising a painting exhibition called 'Anti-War Paintings and Artworks' at his residence. He claimed that after seeing the social media post, two individuals from Delhi police arrived at his house and started interrogating him, asking to cancel the event. .Before Justice Sachin Datta, the artist’s counsel Advocate Manik Gupta submitted that organizing a painting exhibition within one’s residence is not an illegal act and the Delhi police has no authority to restrict him.The Court asked regarding the scale of the event. To this query, Gupta submitted that the exhibition is a private event which not more than 15 to 20 people would attend. The Delhi police told the Court that they do not have any intention of disrupting the event, provided no untoward or unforeseen incident takes place. On the basis of the submissions made by the parties, the Court closed the case, noting that no order is required to be passed. .In his petition, Anand had submitted that he has been facing serious intimidation and harassment by the Delhi police to cancel the exhibition. This violates his freedom of speech and right to privacy under Article 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India, he said. “The repeated practice of Delhi Police personnel from Model Town Police Station entering his residence to monitor and censor what movies he watches, the nature of discussions held, the guests he invites, and the paintings he displays—along with constant harassment and intimidation without any order or due process—violates his fundamental right to privacy and his right to freedom of expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution,” he submitted. Anand submitted that the police had disrupted his private movie screening on a previous occasion. At that time, two police constables in plain clothes entered the artist’s residence without any warrant and inspected his personal space without consent. The police had also warned Anand against organising similar events in the future.Apprehending similar disruption again, Anand moved the Court for relief.Anand had also sought disciplinary action against the Delhi police officials who had threatened him. .Advocate Manik Gupta appeared for Anand. Senior Panel Counsel Arti Bansal and Advocate Shruti Goel appeared for the Delhi Police.