A dispute over female staff during a Hindu delegation’s visit has united French politicians, while raising questions about religious influence, workplace equality and India’s ties with France
A dispute over the treatment of female employees during a visit by a Hindu religious organisation to the Eiffel Tower has triggered a political backlash in France and exposed divisions within the country’s Indian diaspora.
The controversy centres on the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a Hindu organisation linked to the Swaminarayan tradition. The group came under scrutiny after a private delegation visited the Paris landmark on 5 September.
According to reports, female Eiffel Tower employees were asked to limit their interactions with visitors and move away from certain workstations during the visit. The allegations prompted staff protests and a temporary closure of the monument on 7 September. The tower reopened the following day.
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The tower’s operator, Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), acknowledged that the delegation had requested arrangements limiting interactions with women
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It said such conditions should not have been accepted and launched an investigation
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BAPS denied deliberately excluding women and apologised for any distress caused
The incident drew criticism from politicians across France’s political spectrum. National Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet, former prime minister Gabriel Attal and far-right figures condemned the reported treatment, saying gender equality and women’s participation in public life could not be compromised.
The controversy came shortly after BAPS inaugurated a major Hindu temple in Bussy-Saint-Georges, near Paris, on 6 September. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the ceremony virtually, praising the temple’s cultural significance and India-France ties.
For sections of France’s Indian community, however, the dispute is part of a wider debate about Hindu nationalism and the growing influence of organisations associated with India’s ruling political establishment.
A meeting organised by progressive Indian groups in Paris sought to examine BAPS’s international reach and its links to Hindu nationalist politics. Some activists fear the controversy could be exploited by France’s far right ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs has said the Eiffel Tower dispute is a matter between the organisations concerned, distancing the government from the controversy.
