Eiffel Tower Shuts After Women Staff "Sidelined" For Hindu Group's Visit - NDTV

**Eiffel Tower closes after staff protest over alleged sidelining of women for Hindu delegation**

Paris – The Eiffel Tower was temporarily shut on Tuesday after a group of employees staged a walk‑out to protest what they described as the “sidelining” of female staff during a visit by a Hindu cultural delegation. Workers, organized by the French Confederation of Management–Employee Relations (CFDT), claimed that women were asked to leave the observation decks and service areas so that the guests would not see them, a practice they said violated gender‑equality norms enshrined in French labour law. The protest triggered a brief but disruptive closure of the landmark, halting tours and causing a backlog of visitors during the peak summer season.

Eiffel Tower management, represented by the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), denied any policy of gender discrimination. In a statement to *Reuters*, the company said that standard security protocols had been applied for the high‑profile visit and that “no staff member, regardless of gender, was asked to vacate their duties for the sole purpose of accommodating a delegation.” The Paris prefecture has opened an administrative inquiry, and the Ministry of Labour has been asked to review whether any labour‑code breaches occurred. Union representatives, however, maintain that multiple female employees reported being instructed to “step aside” by the event’s coordinators, a claim that the tower’s press office says it will investigate further.

The incident has reignited debates in France over secularism, religious accommodation, and workplace gender parity. Civil‑rights groups have called for a transparent investigation, while Hindu community leaders in Paris have expressed disappointment at the media portrayal of their cultural visit, emphasizing that the delegation was intended to promote intercultural dialogue. The Eiffel Tower resumed operations late Thursday after a negotiated settlement with the protesting workers, who secured a pledge from management to review and clarify all visitor‑hosting procedures to ensure compliance with gender‑equality standards. Paris officials say the incident will serve as a test case for how France balances its commitment to laïcité with the rights of all workers and religious groups.