What is BAPS, the Hindu group whose demands led to Eiffel Tower closure?

Eiffel Tower closed in row over women removed for Hindu group.

What happened

Eiffel Tower closed in row over women removed for Hindu group. Published On 8 Sep 20268 Sep 2026.

Meanwhile, the Eiffel Tower was temporarily closed on Monday after workers went on strike to protest the sidelining of female staff during a private visit by a Hindu religious group.

For context, the tower, which has since reopened, shut after members of Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a global socio‑spiritual Hindu denomination, visited the site. Female staff were reportedly asked to offer way to male staff for the group's tour, prompting protests from the workers' union, outrage from French politicians and an apology from the Hindu group.

The bottom line

For now, what is BAPS, the Hindu group whose demands led to Eiffel Tower remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.