Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Tuesday criticised the “removal” of female staff at the Eiffel Tower during a private BAPS delegation visit, asserting that it was not “how India thinks.”
The row erupted after the staff at the iconic French monument went on strike when they were asked to leave during a visit by members of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha spiritual movement on Monday. BAPS later extended an apology for the incident. She further added, “There can be no discrimination in access or ability to fulfil one’s job responsibilities on basis of gender.
In her post, Chaturvedi said, “The entire Paris Eiffel Tower embarrassment of asking women staffers to be kept away due to BAPS spiritual leaders visit and they wanting it that way due to their practice and belief isn’t the reflection of how India thinks- in policy or in constitution.
Chaturvedi in a post on X said there must be no discrimination against someone fulfilling their job duties on the basis of their gender While asking BAPS to keep these practices to themselves. The Sena (UBT) leader said that if this was a BAPS practise followed in “their religious community, sect and societies”, these “must keep it restricted to those confined areas. “…Please don’t expect the world to follow the diktat,” Chaturvedi added. BAPS offered its “sincere apologies” following the incident. In a post on X, the BAPS Hindu temple in Paris said its visit had been coordinated in advance with Eiffel Tower teams and took place during the monument’s opening hours.
