The visit, which was for a delegation for the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) spiritual movement, has now sparked a row. The Eiffel Tower shut down on Monday after staff alleged that female workers were asked to leave due to a visit from the Hindu group.
“Some were asked to leave their posts and withdraw to other areas. In some posts, they were replaced by men. “It is clearly not an acceptable practice. “To our knowledge, at no time was access to the Eiffel Tower denied to anyone. Nevertheless, we wish to offer our sincere apologies to anyone who may have been hurt or inconvenienced by this situation.
And all female employees were instructed not to go through or cross certain areas while the delegation was present,” she said. I restate the Eiffel Tower’s commitment to republican values and to the equality of men and women,” SETE president Ariel Weil told AFP. In a statement on X, the BAPS Hindu temple in Paris said their visit was coordinated in advance with the teams at the Eiffel Tower during the opening hours of the monument. We are deeply committed to the universal values of mutual respect and service to others,” the statement said. Following the row, Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said there would be an investigation into the circumstances of the visit. Former French prime minister Gabriel Attal also condemned the incident, adding that “no culture, no belief, no worship, nothing nor anyone can come to dictate to women their place.”
