Paris: Authorities have launched two formal investigations after female employees at the Eiffel Tower were ordered to make themselves invisible and vacate their posts during a private visit by a prominent Hindu delegation.

The 137-year-old landmark reopened to the public on Tuesday after a one-day staff walkout forced its closure on Monday. The protest erupted after employees union representatives condemned management directives issued during a Saturday morning visit by a 100-strong delegation from the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a global religious organisation within Hinduism's Swaminarayan sect.

Female staff ordered to ‘make themselves invisible’

According to employee union representatives, management directed female workers and female contractors to avoid all contact with the visiting group. Employees reported being instructed to leave their stations, move to separate areas, or be replaced by male colleagues to ensure the delegation did not interact with women.

Workers expressed deep shock over the directive, highlighting that while the monument routinely accommodates high-profile global delegations, foreign leaders, and celebrities, imposing gender-based restrictions on staff was entirely unprecedented and unacceptable.

Responding to the outcry, SETE, the operating company that manages the site, acknowledged that the delegation had requested conditions to limit interactions with women, admitting that such terms should never have been accepted by management.

City of Paris launches dual investigations

Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire condemned the management’s directives as absurd, unjust and unacceptable, confirming that two separate probes have been initiated to determine who authorised the order. One investigation will be led directly by the City of Paris, which owns a 99 percent stake in the monument, while SETE will conduct an internal review assisted by an external consultant.

Gregoire emphasised that gender equality remains non-negotiable across the capital, stating that the principle must apply everywhere without exception.

France’s Gender Equality Minister Aurore Berge also voiced strong indignation over the incident, asserting that women in France will never be asked to erase themselves. The controversy quickly drew reaction from across the French political spectrum, with prominent figures reiterating that no religious or cultural belief can dictate the presence or role of women in the country.

BAPS organisation issues apology and clarification

The visit coincided with BAPS celebrations marking the inauguration of its first major traditional stone temple in France, located near Paris, which was consecrated by the sect's 93-year-old spiritual leader, Mahant Swami Maharaj. BAPS operates a worldwide network of over 1,300 temples and maintains close ties with high-level international dignitaries.

In an official statement, BAPS offered an apology to anyone hurt or inconvenienced by the situation. The organisation clarified that its logistical coordination with site managers was intended solely to avoid disrupting general visitors given the size of the group.

BAPS maintained that it never requested restrictions based on gender, stating that any suggestion to the contrary does not reflect its core values. The group affirmed its commitment to principles of equality, mutual respect and service to all regardless of background or gender.

(Agencies)