India, Sept. 8 -- A private visit by a delegation associated with the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) to the Eiffel Tower has escalated into a major controversy in France, forcing the landmark to close for a day after employees went on strike and prompting criticism from politicians across the political spectrum.

The controversy began on September 5, when around 100 people associated with BAPS visited the Eiffel Tower during events surrounding the inauguration of the organisation's new temple near Paris.

The Eiffel Tower's operator, Societe d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), later acknowledged that representatives of the delegation had requested arrangements for the visit of their spiritual representat...