Eiffel Tower: the Baps movement denies having requested gender segregation during a visit

The Hindu spiritual movement Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (Baps) did not ask for "differentiated treatment between women and men" during its delegation's visit to the Eiffel Tower on Saturday September 5, the organization indicates in a press release sent to France Inter on Tuesday.

Employees of the famous Parisian monument closed access to the tower on Monday, denouncing "instructions" which led to the exclusion of female staff during a visit by members of this religious group two days earlier. “To our knowledge, no visitor or staff member was denied access to the monument at any time during our visit,” Baps retorts. The Hindu spiritual movement "wishes to respond to the concerns expressed by employees of the Eiffel Tower as well as the media treatment which followed the visit of our delegation on Saturday", we can read in this press release.

The organization claims to take the concerns expressed by Eiffel Tower employees “very seriously”.

“Our delegation numbered nearly 100 people. Given the size of the group, this visit had been coordinated in advance with the management of the Eiffel Tower and scheduled at the start of usual opening hours, in order to limit as much as possible any disruption for employees, other visitors and the usual operation of the site,” explains the Baps movement. “We want to be clear: this coordination aimed to take into account the operational and logistical constraints of the tower and to guarantee the smooth running of the visit of a large group, without causing any inconvenience to tower employees or the public.”

At no time was "this coordination intended to request differential treatment between women and men. Any statement to the contrary reflects neither the spirit nor the values ​​of our movement or the delegation", argues the Hindu movement. Baps "remains firmly committed to the principles of equality and mutual respect, as well as to the commitment to serving all, regardless of gender, origin or belief. These values ​​are at the very heart of the teachings of our tradition and are reflected in the actions we carry out in the service of society throughout the world."

The Baps organization says it takes “very seriously the concerns expressed by the employees of the Eiffel Tower” and “sincerely regrets any inconvenience or discomfort that the arrangements made for our group’s visit may have caused them”. The Hindu spiritual movement says it is "fully prepared to engage constructively with all parties in examining this situation."