Je l’ai redit dans le #Mandir, l’épisode de @LaTourEiffel est inacceptable, hâte de connaître les conclusions de l’enquête mandatée par mon collègue du @partisocialiste maire de @Paris@egregoire, que la lumière soit faite! Le @BAPSParis attend également impatiemment cette info!
As per their press statement, BAPS did NOT ask to remove women, nor ban their entry into Eiffel tower. Their own team had women. They probably requested a little adjustment for the head monk, nothing more. Right wing, as usual, jumped to criticize BAPS without even attempting to find out the facts. What a bunch of apologists.
Image via @INSIGHTUK2
Avoiding females because the saints have taken the vow of celibacy is not called misogyny! As everybody has a choice, saints too have a choice. Stop twisting it and making it about your own biases.
@abhijeet_dipke Calling people “regressive” doesn’t make your argument stronger. Why the selective outrage when it comes to Hindu practices? If women’s freedom is the concern, apply the same standard to every religion and community—not just Hinduism.
🚨BAPS Paris - Eiffel Tower - Media Statement
We at @hrllabseu have communicated with BAPS Paris and received the following media statement:
There is a deliberate attempt to paint BAPS and Hindu community as misogynistic and discrimination towards women is attributed.
The attached image clearly shows there were female visitors who are looking down at BAPS team.
Do not fall for propaganda and delliberate manipulation against Hindus.
Best Regards
Human Rights Legal Labs Team
@hrllabseu
Swamis belonging to BAPS are not allowed to go near women. So, they should have avoided visiting Eiffel Tower or any public place instead of asking female employees to go away. BAPS officials have apologised.
BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir is the largest and France's first traditional, purpose-built stone Hindu temple.
The problem is with the Hindu Mandir and a new propaganda will be built around this by the church and muslims and Leftists to criticize Hindus.
Gender segregation practice is not "normal" in Europe but muslims have been doing it for years in France and various other countries of Europe. An no muslim has ever apologised for their practices.
But this BAPS incident at Eiffel Tower will make the most noise.
@priyankac19 But BAPS didn’t force or discriminate against anyone. A voluntary accommodation for a religious visit shouldn’t be portrayed as a “diktat” or as representative of India’s values.
@aravind Why do we rarely see the same scrutiny of restrictions faced by women in some conservative Muslim communities—whether around education, employment, dress, mobility or leadership?Criticise institutions where criticism is warranted, but apply the same standard to everyone.
@aravind It’s fair to discuss BAPS women’s leadership and contributions—but if we’re talking about women’s rights, the conversation should be consistent.
BAPS approached the Eiffel Tower authorities well in advance, requesting an exclusive time slot during the very early hours of public access and clearly communicating its requirements beforehand. The authorities were entirely free to accept or decline the request. They chose to accommodate it and made the necessary arrangements.
How they decided to facilitate that request was ultimately an operational matter for the Eiffel Tower authorities. I don’t think BAPS should be dragged into a controversy over arrangements that it had formally requested in advance and that the competent authorities voluntarily agreed to provide.
I have also had the good fortune of interacting with BAPS sannyasis on several occasions. Many of them are exceptionally bright and accomplished individuals who could quite easily have become leaders in their respective professional fields had they chosen to remain in the material world. Instead, responding to an inner calling, they consciously chose a life dedicated to spirituality, discipline and service.
Spiritual and religious organisations across faiths have their own traditions, protocols and ways of doing things. At times, these may differ considerably from what is considered normal or customary in the wider world. That is neither unusual nor unprecedented.
Ridiculing these sanyasis simply for adhering to what they sincerely believe in,
particularly when their requirements were communicated through a proper advance request and accepted by the authorities, seems unfair.
It's common for people who don't know what BAPS stands for to point fingers based on sensational headlines.
So here is a comprehensive record of BAPS women's leadership & global impact—realities media houses rarely report during controversies. 🧵👇
Nous comprenons les préoccupations exprimées et les prenons très au sérieux.
Compte tenu de la taille de notre délégation, la visite a été organisée en coordination avec les équipes de la tour Eiffel, au début des horaires habituels d’ouverture, afin de limiter autant que possible toute gêne pour les autres visiteurs.
À notre connaissance, à aucun moment l’accès à la tour Eiffel n’a été refusé à qui que ce soit.
Nous tenons néanmoins à présenter nos sincères excuses à toute personne qui aurait pu être blessée ou gênée par cette situation.
Nous sommes profondément attachés aux valeurs universelles de respect mutuel et de service aux autres.
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.
It took only 83 minutes for the post to be deleted. Unqualified apology still remains. Tomorrow will be a day of FIR if no unqualified apology is tendered. Can't spread propaganda and then just delete and run.