Eiffel Tower Closed After Protest Over Moving Female Staff During BAPS Visit

The Eiffel Tower in Paris was shut down following a staff protest over allegations that female employees were moved away from their workstations during a visit by a delegation linked to the Hindu religious group BAPS on Saturday, drawing criticism from CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke in New Delhi.

According to reports, approximately 100 members of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) delegation visited the French landmark on Saturday. A union representative alleged that female workers were "moved away from their workstations as the delegation passed by".

The actions triggered an immediate protest by staff members, leading to the closure of the Eiffel Tower.

SETE, the company responsible for operating the Eiffel Tower, acknowledged that the visiting delegation had requested special arrangements to restrict contact with female personnel. The operating company stated that such conditions "should not have been accepted".

Reacting to the controversy, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke stated that religion should not be placed into the hands of "regressive men".

"Do not let REGRESSIVE MEN become the custodians of religion," Dipke wrote on social media platform X.

"Men who use faith to police women, dictate morality and deny others their freedom will bring nothing but shame to both religion and the country," Dipke added.