Hindu group apologises over Eiffel Tower row
Around 100 men from BAPS were visiting the landmark.
A Hindu religious group has apologised after the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, was closed yesterday (7 September) after staff went on strike to protest the exclusion of female workers during a visit by the organisation.
The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), however, reiterated that its tour had been pre-coordinated with the tower's team, adding that no person was denied access. BAPS also apologised to anyone who was hurt or inconvenienced.
"We understand the concerns raised and take them very seriously. Given the size of our delegation, the visit was organised in coordination with the Eiffel Tower team at the beginning of normal opening hours to minimise any inconvenience to other visitors," BAPS said in a statement on social media.
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"To our knowledge, at no point was anyone denied access to the Eiffel Tower. Nevertheless, we sincerely apologise to anyone who may have been hurt or inconvenienced by this situation," the statement added.
Around 100 men from BAPS were visiting the landmark. The company that operates the tower, SETE, said that the group had requested a visit during which "interactions with women" would be limited.
SETE accepted that the decision was a mistake, saying, "These conditions should not have been accepted."
