Eiffel Tower Strike Erupts Over Indian Sect's 'Women Exclusion' Demand

On September 7, staff at Paris's Eiffel Tower initiated a strike, temporarily shutting down one of the world's most visited tourist attractions. At the heart of this disruption was the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a relatively little-known religious sect from India. On September 5, a delegation of monks from the Gujarat-based BAPS had requested that female staff be kept away from the premises during their visit, citing their practice of celibacy and non-interaction with women. This blatant gender discrimination sparked significant outrage, not only within France but internationally. BAPS maintains close ties with India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself promoting the sect and its lavish temple constructions abroad. The BAPS Hindu temple inaugurated on September 6 on the outskirts of Paris, in Bussy-Saint-Georges, is one of the largest in Europe. Modi participated in the inauguration ceremony virtually. India's Ministry of External Affairs acknowledged awareness of the issue but stated it was "not involved." The CGT trade union at the Eiffel Tower called the strike to protest their female employees being "sidelined, replaced, and rendered invisible on the basis of their gender." The strike garnered widespread support across the French political spectrum. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen condemned BAPS' demand, stating, "In France, we will never accept that the presence of women be 'limited.'" France's Minister for Equality declared that "no dogma, no religion is above the laws of the (French) Republic." BAPS describes itself as a "socio-spiritual" Hindu organization founded in 1907, wielding considerable political influence. It receives substantial donations from wealthy Gujarati expatriates, particularly the Patel community. The sect has faced controversy before; in 2023, a lawsuit was filed concerning allegations of low wages and caste-based abuse against workers at a temple constructed in New Jersey. BAPS has denied these allegations. The recent incident has also raised questions about BAPS' ties with the BJP and land grants. The French chapter of BAPS stated that "no visitor or member of staff was denied access to the monument at any point during our visit" and apologized for any inconvenience caused. Source: The Diplomat Indonesia