Full Breakdown
Eiffel Tower Controversy: Female Staff Removed During Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS) Delegation Visit
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
In early September 2024, the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) sent a delegation of roughly 100 members to Paris for events linked to the inauguration of a new BAPS temple in Bussy-Saint-Georges. BAPS monks observe vows that prohibit physical contact with women, which shaped the operational requests for the Eiffel Tower visit.
Core Event
On September 5, the delegation toured the Eiffel Tower. Tower management reassigned several female employees—including a customer-relations staffer, a cleaning worker, and an elevator operator—to move away from areas where the delegation was present. Employees described the changes as “sidelining, replacing and rendering invisible” women on the basis of gender. The next day, September 7, a brief staff walkout forced a temporary closure. A larger protest on September 8 saw employees walk out again, demanding clarification of the instructions that led to the gender-based reassignments.
Data & Statistics
- Approx. 100 BAPS delegates visited the tower.
- The Eiffel Tower employs around 400 staff members and receives more than 6.5 million visitors annually.
- The September 7 walkout halted operations for one day; the September 8 protest involved a significant portion of the workforce but did not result in a prolonged shutdown.
Official Statements & Responses
- The Inspection Générale de la Ville de Paris (IGVP) released its findings on October 1, labeling the episode a “collective dysfunction” and noting that no explicit request to exclude women was documented.
- SETE, the city-owned operator, described the handling of the visit as “unacceptable” and announced that director-general Patrick Branco Ruivo will leave his post by the end of 2026.
- BAPS France reiterated that it never asked for female employees to be hidden, removed or excluded and welcomed the IGVP report confirming that no such request was made.
- French gender-equality minister Aurore Bergé and National Assembly president Yaël Braun-Pivet condemned any instruction that would marginalize women.
Criticism & Opposition
French politicians across the spectrum denounced the incident as an affront to the Republic’s commitment to gender equality. Former President François Hollande expressed solidarity with the striking workers, and former prime minister Michel Barnier called the order “utterly unacceptable.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Media accounts differ on whether BAPS directly requested the removal of female staff. The IGVP investigation and BAPS statements assert that the organization only asked to avoid physical contact and did not explicitly demand the exclusion of women. No legal opinion or ethical advice was sought before the operational changes were implemented, leaving a gap in documented decision-making protocols.
Verbatim Quotes
- “From the outset, BAPS has consistently stated that it never asked for female employees to be hidden, removed or excluded,” — BAPS France
- “In France, we do not ask women to step aside. No dogma, no religion is superior to the laws of the Republic.” — Yaël Braun-Pivet
What’s Next
SETE announced plans to create a dedicated protocol department and introduce new training programmes focused on gender equality. The organization also indicated that future visits will be coordinated without instructions that could marginalize staff based on gender.