The Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors on Monday after staff staged a protest over allegations that female employees were sidelined during a private visit by a Hindu religious delegation, prompting an investigation by Paris authorities. The incident reportedly took place during a weekend visit by a delegation linked to the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS).
According to union representatives, female employees were allegedly asked to leave their workstations or move away from certain areas while the delegation passed through the monument. The allegations have since triggered a wider debate in France over workplace equality, religious accommodation and the responsibilities of public institutions.
The incident took place on Saturday, when a delegation of approximately 100 people linked to BAPS made a private visit to the Eiffel Tower. The group was in France in connection with celebrations surrounding the inauguration of a BAPS Hindu temple near Paris.
Diane Davoine, a union representative, told Reuters that as the delegation moved through the Eiffel Tower, women were asked to leave their workstations so that men could take their places. She said tensions grew over the weekend before employees decided to meet with management.
In a statement, Eiffel Tower staff said they had been given instructions that resulted in female employees being “sidelined, replaced and rendered invisible” because of their gender, as reported by media. The statement alleged that some women were asked to leave their posts, while in some positions they were replaced by male colleagues. It also alleged that female employees were instructed not to pass through certain areas while the delegation was present.
The allegations have not been presented as a final finding by investigators. Paris authorities have launched an investigation to establish what happened and how the arrangements for the private visit were made.
The company operating the Eiffel Tower, Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), acknowledged that the Hindu delegation had requested that the visit be organised in a way that would limit “interactions with women.”
SETE said those conditions should not have been accepted, adding that they were inconsistent with the company’s values and its principles of equality between men and women. SETE president Ariel Weil described the practice as unacceptable and reaffirmed the Eiffel Tower’s commitment to equality.
The company also said it would examine what happened and draw the necessary conclusions. Management had apologised to staff following the incident, according to union representative Diane Davoine.
BAPS issued a statement following the controversy, saying it respected the concerns raised and took them seriously.
The organisation said the visit had been arranged at the beginning of normal opening hours because of the size of the delegation, with the stated aim of avoiding disruption to other visitors. BAPS also said that, to its knowledge, no one had been prevented from accessing the Eiffel Tower.
BAPS nevertheless apologised for “any pain or inconvenience caused” and said it remained committed to values of mutual respect and service to others.
The organisation’s response therefore differs in emphasis from the allegations made by staff: while employees described instructions that allegedly restricted the presence and movement of female workers, BAPS said the visit was coordinated with Eiffel Tower teams and denied knowledge of anyone being denied access to the monument.
The dispute resulted in the Eiffel Tower being closed to visitors throughout Monday as employees held meetings with management following the protest. The tower’s website cited “exceptional circumstances” for the closure.
A staff representative said the landmark was expected to reopen normally on Tuesday after discussions between employees and management.
The Eiffel Tower receives nearly seven million visitors a year, according to information cited from the monument’s website by NDTV and The Indian Express.
Paris authorities have said they will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said an investigation would be launched “as soon as possible” and described the employees’ dissatisfaction as legitimate. He said it was important to establish the full facts behind the protest.
French Equality Minister Aurore Bergé also reacted to the allegations, saying that women should not be asked to make themselves invisible and that no religion is above French republican law. She qualified her comments by saying that if the reported facts are confirmed, they would be unacceptable.
National Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet similarly criticised the reported treatment of female employees, saying that welcoming visitors should not mean abandoning France’s values of equal participation by women in public life.
The Eiffel Tower controversy came shortly after the inauguration of a BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir near Paris. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the inauguration gathering via video conference on Sunday, according to The Indian Express.
The subsequent dispute has now put the spotlight not on the temple celebrations but on the arrangements made for the delegation’s private visit to one of France’s most recognisable public landmarks. The investigation is expected to establish the circumstances under which the reported restrictions on female employees were communicated and implemented.
Sources: News18, Reuters, NDTV, The Indian Express, Euronews