Eiffel Tower chief steps down after BAPS row over removal of female staff: What happened?
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Eiffel Tower chief steps down after BAPS row over removal of female staff: What happened?")
Eiffel Tower operator SETE chief Patrick Branco Ruivo will step down Photograph: (AFP)
Eiffel Tower operator SETE chief Patrick Branco Ruivo will step down after an internal probe into instructions for female staff to move out of sight during a BAPS delegation’s visit. BAPS denied making such a request and apologised for any inconvenience
The head of the company SETE, that runs the Eiffel Tower in France's capital Paris, is stepping down over the row of removal of female staff during a visit by a Hindu religious group - Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). The company in a statement said that Patrick Branco Ruivo, head of the company, will leave his job by the end of the year. The decision was taken after an internal investigation into a management order requiring female staff to remain out of sight during BAPS visit.
The incident happened in September this year. After the authorities asked the female staff to move and men to take their place, the staff went on strike to register their anger at the bizarre demand. Staffers said they found the instructions that ran contrary to French values of equality and nondiscrimination. Nearly 100 people linked to the BAPS group visited the monument when they were visiting France for the inauguration of a Hindu temple in the Paris suburbs. According to staff union representative Diane Davoine, women were told to move from their positions. "During the visit of this delegation, women were asked to leave their places of work in order to place men there," she told Reuters, adding that the management has apologised to them for the incident.
What BAPS said?
Meanwhile, BAPS denied the charge but apologised later. In a statement on X, the BAPS temple said access to the Eiffel Tower was never denied to anyone, while offering its "sincere apologies" to anyone who may have been hurt or faced any inconvenience due to the situation. "We respect the concerns raised and take them very seriously. Due to the size of our delegation, the visit was arranged in conjunction with the Eiffel Tower team at the start of normal opening hours to avoid disrupting or inconveniencing others. To the best of our knowledge, at no point was anyone prevented access to the Eiffel Tower. Nevertheless, we sincerely apologise for any pain or inconvenience caused. We believe in the universal values of mutual respect and service," read a statement issued by the temple.
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What had Indian government said?
India has distanced itself from the controversy and had said that it was an issue between two organisations. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the government was aware of reports surrounding the visit of a delegation from the BAPS Organisation to Paris. It described the specific matter concerning the Eiffel Tower as an issue between two organisations and declined further comments.
