A sign declaring the Eiffel Tower opening delayed in Paris, France, on September 7, 2026. Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters
By
Rhea Mogul
Updated Sep 8, 2026
Updated Sep 8, 2026
The Eiffel Tower in Paris was closed on Monday as employees went on strike to protest claims female colleagues were told to stay out of sight during a visit by a Hindu religious group, drawing criticism from French politicians.
Around 100 members of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a global Hindu organization headquartered in Ahmedabad, India, visited the landmark on Saturday.
BAPS describes itself as a “spiritual, volunteer-driven fellowship” dedicated to improving society through individual growth and promoting the Hindu values of faith, service and global harmony. The group inaugurated a new Hindu temple in Paris on Sunday.
Diane Davoine, a union representative for the Eiffel Tower staff, told reporters that during the visit, “women were asked to leave their places of work in order to place men there.”
“So that absolutely does not go down well with the employees, with women obviously, who are all humiliated by what happened, by the way some were treated,” she said.
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said an investigation has been launched into the claims.
“It is not acceptable that such conditions can be tolerated,” he wrote on X. “These are neither my values, nor those that the Eiffel Tower should uphold, where everyone should be able to move about and act freely, without distinction between women and men.”
The Eiffel Tower Operating Company (SETE) acknowledged that the delegation had requested a visit that limited “interactions with women,” according to CNN affiliate BFMTV.
SETE said that “these conditions should not have been accepted,” BFMTV reported.
CNN has contacted SETE for a response.
In a statement on X, BAPS did not directly mention the female staff but said it took the concerns “very seriously” and that the visit was organized “in coordination with the Eiffel Tower team at the start of normal opening hours” to limit disruption to other visitors.
“To the best of our knowledge, at no point was anyone prevented access to the Eiffel Tower,” the statement said. “Nevertheless, we sincerely apologise for any pain or inconvenience caused.”
When reached by CNN for comment, BAPS Paris said in a statement, “It was never, at any point, intended as a request rooted in gender, and any suggestion to the contrary does not reflect the spirit or values of our fellowship or the delegation.”
“BAPS remains firmly committed to the principles of equality, mutual respect, and service to all, regardless of gender, background, or belief – values that lie at the very heart of our tradition’s teachings and community work worldwide,” the statement continued.
News of the closure made headlines in India on Tuesday. Some commentators on social media asked why the monument’s management complied with the purported request to sideline female staff. Several others said the incident has stained India’s credibility and the Hindu religion.
