What happened: Following the inauguration of the new BAPS Hindu temple near Paris, media reports raised concerns — attributed to Eiffel Tower staff — about the arrangements for a large BAPS delegation's visit, with some coverage framing this as gender discrimination. We are not here to deny that this controversy happened or to dismiss the concerns raised. We are publishing BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha's official press statement below, in full and unedited, so that you can read their response for yourself.
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha wishes to address the concerns raised by staff of the Eiffel Tower and the subsequent media coverage regarding our delegation's visit on Saturday.
Our delegation comprised close to 100 members. Given the size of the group, this visit was coordinated in advance with the Eiffel Tower's management team, and was scheduled at the start of normal operating hours specifically to minimize any disruption to staff, other visitors, and the site's regular functioning.
We want to be clear: this coordination was undertaken out of consideration for the Tower's operations and logistics, and to ensure a smooth visit for a large group without inconveniencing the Tower's employees or the public.
It was never, at any point, intended as a request rooted in gender, and any suggestion to the contrary does not reflect the spirit or values of our fellowship or the delegation.
BAPS remains firmly committed to the principles of equality, mutual respect, and service to all, regardless of gender, background, or belief — values that lie at the very heart of our tradition's teachings and are reflected in our community work worldwide.
To our knowledge, no visitor or member of staff was denied access to the monument at any point during our visit.
That said, we take seriously the concerns expressed by the Eiffel Tower's employees, and we sincerely regret any inconvenience or discomfort caused to them as a result of the arrangements made for our group's visit.
We thank the Eiffel Tower's management and staff for their cooperation, and we remain committed to engaging constructively with all parties as this matter is reviewed.
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, France
One news cycle should not erase decades of documented work. Alongside this statement, we invite you to look through the real, sourced stories of BAPS's women-centred activities — in education, leadership, health, sport and community service — collected elsewhere on this site. Our aim is not to defame anyone, but to make sure the fuller record is easy to find.
