Female workers at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France on Saturday were made to hide themselves from the gaze of 93-year-old Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, head of the Hindu Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha sect, at the sect's request. The women hid from view but on Monday they went on strike in protest and shut down the Parisian tourist attraction.
The group celebrated the visit, saying "His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj at the Eiffel Tower, blessing Paris during the Nagar Yatra as part of the opening celebrations of BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir, the first traditional Hindu stone mandir in France.
The company that operates the Eiffel Tower said that they had been asked to limit the Hindu leader's interactions with women, but they said amid the strike "These conditions should not have been accepted. There are inconsistent with both the values of the SETE [company] and the principles of gender equality and neutrality that must govern the organization of visits to the monument."
Authorities have said they would investigate with the president of the Eiffel Tower Operating Company saying he found the entire thing "totally unacceptable." The Eiffel Tower officials were told by the sect that they needed to limit their "interactions with women," the Washington Post reports, as they toured the landmark. The group recently opened a massive temple in France.
Staffers of the female persuasion were told to "make themselves invisible" while the Hindu group was there. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire was clearly displeased by the incident, saying "It is not acceptable that such conditions can be tolerated."
"I am taking note of the anger expressed by the employees of the Eiffel Tower, and I want to tell them that their discontent is legitimate. It is not acceptable that such conditions can be tolerated. These are neither my values, nor those that the Eiffel Tower should uphold, where everyone—regardless of gender—should be able to move about and act freely, without distinction between women and men," Grégoire said in a post.
"It is urgent that full light be shed on the facts that led to this mobilization. Equality between women and men will never stop at the foot of our historical monuments, nor anywhere in this city. It must be applied everywhere, for everyone. I will ensure this, everywhere and without exception. An investigation will be launched as quickly as possible."
"The employees have been in shock since Saturday," said Diane Davoine, spokesperson for the General Confederation of Labor. "It's a humiliating experience for the women, to be made invisible in a public space, even more so at a national symbol like the Eiffel Tower."
The Hindu group, known for short as BAPS, states on their website that they are prohibited from interacting with women. They issued an apology, of sorts, without addressing the that the women had been asked to hide. "We understand the concerns expressed and take them very seriously," they said.
"Given the size of our delegation, the visit was organized in coordination with the Eiffel Tower teams, at the start of normal opening hours, in order to limit as much as possible any disruption for other visitors. To our knowledge, at no time was access to the Eiffel Tower denied to anyone.
"Nevertheless, we wish to offer our sincere apologies to anyone who may have been hurt or inconvenienced by this situation. We are deeply committed to the universal values of mutual respect and service to others."
The visit to the Eiffel Tower had been announced by British Indians Voice, saying "His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, at the Eiffel Tower, Paris. This week — the Festival of Culture marking the inauguration of France’s FIRST traditional Hindu temple, near Paris. A vision that began in 1970, carried through Pramukh Swami Maharaj, now fulfilled under Mahant Swami Maharaj. The sacred Murti Pratishtha ceremony takes place 4-7 September — finally consecrating the temple. Two civilisations. One skyline."
The group celebrated the visit, saying "His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj at the Eiffel Tower, blessing Paris during the Nagar Yatra as part of the opening celebrations of BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir, the first traditional Hindu stone mandir in France.
The company that operates the Eiffel Tower said that they had been asked to limit the Hindu leader's interactions with women, but they said amid the strike "These conditions should not have been accepted. There are inconsistent with both the values of the SETE [company] and the principles of gender equality and neutrality that must govern the organization of visits to the monument."
Authorities have said they would investigate with the president of the Eiffel Tower Operating Company saying he found the entire thing "totally unacceptable." The Eiffel Tower officials were told by the sect that they needed to limit their "interactions with women," the Washington Post reports, as they toured the landmark. The group recently opened a massive temple in France.
Staffers of the female persuasion were told to "make themselves invisible" while the Hindu group was there. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire was clearly displeased by the incident, saying "It is not acceptable that such conditions can be tolerated."
"I am taking note of the anger expressed by the employees of the Eiffel Tower, and I want to tell them that their discontent is legitimate. It is not acceptable that such conditions can be tolerated. These are neither my values, nor those that the Eiffel Tower should uphold, where everyone—regardless of gender—should be able to move about and act freely, without distinction between women and men," Grégoire said in a post.
"It is urgent that full light be shed on the facts that led to this mobilization. Equality between women and men will never stop at the foot of our historical monuments, nor anywhere in this city. It must be applied everywhere, for everyone. I will ensure this, everywhere and without exception. An investigation will be launched as quickly as possible."
"The employees have been in shock since Saturday," said Diane Davoine, spokesperson for the General Confederation of Labor. "It's a humiliating experience for the women, to be made invisible in a public space, even more so at a national symbol like the Eiffel Tower."
The Hindu group, known for short as BAPS, states on their website that they are prohibited from interacting with women. They issued an apology, of sorts, without addressing the that the women had been asked to hide. "We understand the concerns expressed and take them very seriously," they said.
"Given the size of our delegation, the visit was organized in coordination with the Eiffel Tower teams, at the start of normal opening hours, in order to limit as much as possible any disruption for other visitors. To our knowledge, at no time was access to the Eiffel Tower denied to anyone.
"Nevertheless, we wish to offer our sincere apologies to anyone who may have been hurt or inconvenienced by this situation. We are deeply committed to the universal values of mutual respect and service to others."
The visit to the Eiffel Tower had been announced by British Indians Voice, saying "His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, at the Eiffel Tower, Paris. This week — the Festival of Culture marking the inauguration of France’s FIRST traditional Hindu temple, near Paris. A vision that began in 1970, carried through Pramukh Swami Maharaj, now fulfilled under Mahant Swami Maharaj. The sacred Murti Pratishtha ceremony takes place 4-7 September — finally consecrating the temple. Two civilisations. One skyline."
