An investigation has been launched into the Eiffel Tower's decision to remove female staff during a visit by a Hindu religious group, an action widely condemned as discriminatory and leading to a one-day closure of the monument.
The operating company for the Eiffel Tower, SETE, confirmed that the Hindu delegation had requested the visit be organized to limit "interactions with women," a condition SETE stated "should not have been accepted."
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire announced two investigations into the incident, calling the decision to sideline female staff "absurd, unjust and unacceptable." The city of Paris, which owns 99 percent of the landmark, will conduct one probe, while SETE will carry out a separate internal review with an external consultant. Gregoire indicated he had begun gathering information regarding who gave the order but deferred further comment to the ongoing investigations.
Members of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS) Hindu community participated in a religious ceremony in front of the Eiffel Tower on September 3, 2026, prior to a river parade on the Seine.
Eiffel Tower staff issued a statement condemning "professional instructions that led to female employees being sidelined, replaced and made invisible because of their sex." The statement detailed that some female employees were asked to leave their posts and were replaced by men in certain areas, with all female staff instructed to avoid specific zones during the delegation's presence.
The BAPS spiritual movement issued an apology for "any pain or inconvenience caused," stating that to their knowledge, no one was prevented from accessing the Eiffel Tower. They explained that the visit was arranged at the start of operating hours due to the delegation's size, aiming to avoid disrupting other visitors.
France's gender equality minister, Aurore Berge, expressed indignation, stating, "In France, we do not ask women to erase themselves." Political figures also weighed in, with presidential candidates Marine Le Pen and Gabriel Attal criticizing the incident and affirming that no culture, belief, or religion should dictate women's place in France.
The BAPS organization recently opened its first major temple in France on Sunday, near Paris. The organization claims a global network of over 1,300 temples.