Not involved, says government amid controversy over religious group’s Eiffel Tower tour

The Ministry of External Affairs clarified on September 8, 2026 that India had no role in the dispute over the Eiffel Tower shutdown, which arose after the Hindu organization BAPS was accused of asking that female staff be kept out of sight during a visit by its delegation, including its 93‑year‑old leader. The statement, given by spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, emphasized that the matter was strictly between BAPS and the tower’s management and that the Prime Minister’s remarks at the temple inauguration were merely ceremonial.

The Eiffel Tower was closed for a single day after BAPS officials, who were in Paris for the inauguration of a new temple built by the group, reportedly requested that women employees be relocated from certain areas during their tour. The delegation numbered more than 100 members, and the tower’s union organized a one‑day strike in solidarity with the affected female workers, who said they were instructed not to cross specific zones. The incident coincided with Prime Minister Modi’s virtual address celebrating the new temple, a project inaugurated by Indian ambassadors in the Paris suburbs.

BAPS, known for its Akshardham temple in Delhi and its strict segregation of monks and lay members, denied any gender‑based motive, describing the adjustments as a matter of “operational courtesy.” The controversy has sparked criticism from French right‑wing and centrist politicians, who have questioned the Macron government’s handling of the situation, while also raising broader concerns about cultural sensitivities and gender equality in international collaborations.