In brief
When a delegation from the BAPS Hindu group visited Paris’s Eiffel Tower, female staff were asked to vacate their positions and barred from certain areas, sparking outrage and a one‑day strike. Tower officials blamed management over‑compliance, while an internal inquiry is underway. BAPS apologized, noting its male‑female segregation, but politicians condemned the move as discriminatory. The incident underscores tension between religious customs and modern equality norms.
Over a weekend at Paris’s iconic Eiffel Tower, a controversy erupted when a Hindu religious delegation linked to BAPS arrived for a ceremonial visit.
Employees were told to temporarily vacate the tower and were barred from certain sections during the ceremony. Female staff felt humiliated and, on Monday, staged a strike that shut the monument for the day.
Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel said the actions were inconsistent with its values and with principles of gender equality.
BAPS later issued an apology, stating it aims to respect all parties but continues to uphold its tradition of separating men and women for what it says is “the benefit of women.”
French politicians across the spectrum condemned the incident. Yaël Braun‑Pivet, president of the National Assembly, said no culture could dictate women’s place. Marine Le Pen and former prime minister Gabriel Attal echoed that statement.
An internal investigation is in progress to determine who authorized the segregation of female staff and to ensure the policy is amended to prevent recurrence.
