The Eiffel Tower was closed for a day after employees staged a work stoppage over allegations that female workers were removed from their posts during a recent visit by representatives of a Hindu religious organisation.
The controversy reportedly began on Saturday when around 100 representatives of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) visited the Paris landmark while attending events connected with the inauguration of a Hindu temple in France.
According to employee representatives, female staff members were allegedly instructed to leave certain work areas while the delegation toured the monument, with male employees taking their positions instead. Workers held a meeting on Monday and decided to raise the issue with management and seek assurances that female employees would not face similar treatment in future.
The Eiffel Tower’s operating company, Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), acknowledged that the delegation had requested limited contact with female employees during the visit. The company reportedly said the conditions should not have been accepted and apologised to staff.
Employee representative Diane Davoin said workers, particularly women, felt humiliated by the incident. SETE president Ariel Weil also reportedly described the alleged arrangement as unacceptable.
BAPS later issued a statement saying the large delegation had been scheduled to visit early in the day to minimise inconvenience to other visitors. The organisation denied preventing anyone from entering the tower and apologised if anyone experienced difficulties during the visit.
The dispute has also triggered political debate in France. Paris authorities have ordered an investigation into what happened during the delegation’s visit, as calls grow for clarification and accountability.
