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India news: Hindu group apologizes over Eiffel Tower row
India news: Hindu group apologizes over Eiffel Tower row
Seerat Chabba Reuters and Indian media sourcesPublished 09/08/2026Published September 8, 2026last updated 09/08/2026last updated September 8, 2026After the Eiffel Tower was closed amid a staff strike over alleged discrimination, Hindu group BAPS issued an apology, but maintained that no one was denied access. DW has more.
https://p.dw.com/p/5M7YPWhat you need to know
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Below is a roundup of the top headlines from India from Tuesday, September 8.
- Hindu group apologizes after Eiffel Tower strike over alleged discrimination
- Manipuri musician killed in Delhi
- Iran hails longstanding India relationship ahead of Pezeshkian's visit
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https://p.dw.com/p/5M8JHSkip next section eBay to investigate how banned gender-test kits were sold in India — report09/08/2026September 8, 2026eBay to investigate how banned gender-test kits were sold in India — report
US e-commerce platform eBay is conducting an internal review of its platform's safeguards after news agency Reuters found that several gender-prediction kits were listed for delivery to India. New Delhi has banned the use of such kits under a law aimed at preventing sex-selective abortion.
Reuters identified nine listings, including kits from brands SneakPeek and Peekaboo, which were being offered by third-party sellers with shipping to India. The platform removed the listings after being notified last week.
"These listings violated local regulations and eBay's policies, and we are reviewing these controls, including the relevant shipping and checkout experience, to determine whether further enhancements are appropriate," eBay told Reuters in a statement.
"eBay has controls in place intended to prevent certain gender-prediction products from being visible in India," it added.
While eBay does not have a dedicated Indian shopping site, the company does ship to India, functioning purely as a marketplace for third-party sellers.
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Separately, India's Health Ministry has pressed Google to remove search results linking to Peekaboo's website, according to notices reviewed by the news agency.
https://p.dw.com/p/5MDPNSkip next section Manipur singer killed after confronting group drinking outside Delhi home09/08/2026September 8, 2026Manipur singer killed after confronting group drinking outside Delhi home
A group of men has been apprehended for beating Manipuri musician Chongtham Vikram Singh to death outside his apartment in Southeast Delhi, local media reported.
The 54-year-old lived in Kilokari village, where he was allegedly assaulted by a group of delivery workers and local eatery staff after he confronted them for drinking and creating a nuisance outside his residence, police said.
Seven people have been arrested, and a juvenile has been detained in relation to the assault.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi slammed local authorities and Home Minister Amit Shah, raising concerns over the safety of people from the northeastern states of India in Delhi.
"A father, killed outside his own home, in his own country's capital. After many such incidents, every Northeast family in Delhi is asking the same question today - are we safe here?" he wrote on X.
Chief Minister of Manipur, N Biren Singh, also offered condolences to his family, urging Delhi Police to take swift action on the matter. He also shared CCTV footage that claimed to show the accused heading downstairs after assaulting Singh.
The incident has raised concerns among New Delhi's Northeast community. The area that comes under the Sunlight Colony police station is known to have a sizeable population from the region, the Telegraph newspaper reported. In 2023, a group of men assaulted a Manipuri family in the area.
https://p.dw.com/p/5M7qVSkip next section Iran hails 'civilizational' relationship with India ahead of BRICS summit09/08/2026September 8, 2026Iran hails 'civilizational' relationship with India ahead of BRICS summit
Iran highlighted its "long-standing, historic and civilizational relationship" with India ahead of President Masoud Pezeshkian's visit to New Delhi for the upcoming BRICS summit.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei emphasized the importance Tehran places on its ties with New Delhi during a press conference.
He highlighted President Pezeshkian's bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to reaffirm Iran's plans to engage diplomatically with India to deepen economic collaboration.
Referring to the upcoming BRICS summit, he added: "We will certainly make use of the opportunity provided by the BRICS Summit to continue our discussions and consultations with India in areas of mutual interest."
The 18th BRICS summit will be held from September 12 to 13 at the Bharat Mandapam convention center in the Indian capital.
https://p.dw.com/p/5M7pMSkip next section BAPS apologizes over Eiffel Tower row, denies preventing access09/08/2026September 8, 2026BAPS apologizes over Eiffel Tower row, denies preventing access
A Hindu religious group has apologized after the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, was closed on Monday after staff went on strike to protest the exclusion of female workers during a visit by the organization.
The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), however, reiterated that their tour was pre-coordinated with the tower's team, adding that no person was denied access. BAPS also offered apologies to anyone hurt or inconvenienced.
"We understand the concerns raised and take them very seriously. Given the size of our delegation, the visit was organised in coordination with the Eiffel Tower team at the beginning of normal opening hours to minimise any inconvenience to other visitors," BAPS said in a statement on social media.
"To our knowledge, at no point was anyone denied access to the Eiffel Tower. Nevertheless, we sincerely apologise to anyone who may have been hurt or inconvenienced by this situation," the statement added.
Around 100 men from BAPS were visiting the landmark. The company that operates the Tower, SETE, said that the group had requested a visit as part of which the "interactions with women" would be limited.
SETE accepted that the decision was a mistake: "These conditions should not have been accepted."
On Sunday, BAPS conducted the consecration ceremony of France’s first traditional Hindu temple in Bussy-Saint-Georges, near Paris.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually addressed the inauguration gathering, adding that "India and France’s relations have reached new heights."
Read more about the controversy here.
https://p.dw.com/p/5M7YsSkip next section Welcome to our coverage09/08/2026September 8, 2026Welcome to our coverage
Elizabeth Schumacher EditorHello! This is Seerat from DW's Studio Delhi, once again bringing you the latest from across India.
If you tried to go up the Eiffel Tower in Paris yesterday, you may have been in for a rude shock, as the tourist hotspot was closed over alleged discrimination during a visit by a Hindu group. The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) has apologized for any inconvenience caused, but with a small caveat.
In Delhi, a Manipuri musician was killed after he objected to a group of men drinking raucously outside his apartment.
Finally, Iran has hailed its longstanding ties with India ahead of President Masoud Pezeshkian's visit to New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit from September 11 to 13.
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