Protesting wrestlers meet Amit Shah, say ‘didn’t get reaction we wanted’

Sakshi Malik's husband Satyawrat Kadian, who was present during the recent meeting between protesting wrestlers and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, said the meeting was inconclusive.

Security personnel detain wrestler Sakshi Malik during wrestlers' protest march towards new Parliament building.

Satyawrat Kadian, the husband of ace grappler Sakshi Malik, said the wrestlers’ meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah held on Saturday was inconclusive, as they "did not get the reaction they wanted from the Home Minister".

The meeting between Shah and the wrestlers was held late on Saturday at Amit Shah’s residence in Delhi and went on till late that night, as the wrestlers raised their demand for Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan’s arrest.

"We didn’t get the reaction we wanted from the Home Minister so we came out of the meeting. We are chalking out our strategy for the future course of the protest. We will not back down,” Kadian said, as he intimated that the wrestlers are planning their next course of action.

The meeting was held days after the protesting wrestlers went to Haridwar to immerse their medals in the Ganga, but were stopped by farmers' leader Naresh Tikait. Their return was followed by an ultimatum to the government demanding the arrest of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s arrest before June 9.

The wrestlers also met with sports minister Anurag Thakur before meeting Amit Shah. Thakur promised a “fair probe into their allegations”.

Wrestlers have been protesting against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, alleging he sexually harassed women grapplers, including a minor. So far, two FIRs have been lodged against Brij Bhushan, and he has been booked under the Pocso act.