Sarduy was known for his pre-occupation with African and Chinese presence in Cuba. He died in 1993.

The Cuban ambassador's remarks were directed at noted Venezuelan writer and editor of almost all of Sarduy's collected works, Gustavo Guerrero, who co-curated the show along with Latin American literature expert Catalina Quesada from Paris and S.P. Ganguly from the Centre of Spanish Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

The exhibition comprises rare photographs by Sarduy, who was inspired by the sights and sounds of Varanasi, Indian textiles and Mahayana Buddhism practised in the Himalayas in his art works.

'Mr. Ambassador, the time for such games is over. The text for the catalogue was written by a Mexican professor and we cannot censor the text,' Gustavo Guerrero told the Cuban envoy.

Sarduy was inspired to visit India after a meeting with Mexican writer Octavio Paz in 1968, who served in India as an ambassador. The Cuban origin artist-writer was so much in love with Indian culture that at a point in time he contemplated making India his home.