Days after women workers at the Eiffel Tower were allegedly put aside for a Hindu delegation visit, protesting workers went on strike.
On Saturday, a delegation from the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a Hindu religious organization, was visiting Paris on the occasion of the opening of their first major temple in the city. As part of the visit, they were also given a tour of the Eiffel Tower, the city’s most iconic monument.
However, workers later alleged that the female staff at the tower were specifically asked to be “put aside”. Women workers were asked to vacate their spots and replaced by male workers when the delegation was visiting the monument. Reportedly, this was done because the delegation was composed of Hindu monks who are sworn to celibacy and avoid contact with women. It was also alleged that the directive to remove female workers came from the Eiffel Tower management itself.
On Monday, the Eiffel Tower was closed as workers went on a general strike in protest against this decision, which they deemed discriminatory. The strike was planned only for a day, and by Tuesday the monument opened normally for the public. However, by then, the news had caught fire both locally and internationally.
The incident drew sharp criticism from all corners. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire denounced the incident and called for investigation into the matter. It was also condemned by the far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen. The organization responisbkle for managing the Eiffel Tower also denounced the incident and announced their own investigation into the matter.
