At Meeting With Protesting Wrestlers, Home Minister Amit Shah Says 'Let Law Take Its Course': Report

Protesting wrestlers on Saturday met Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence over their protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Wrestlers confirmed that they met Home Minister Amit Shah, however, they refused to give further details.

Amit Shah assured the wrestlers that the law remains same for everyone, an NDTV report said. “Let the law take its own course,” Shah told wrestlers, as per the report.

The meeting reportedly began at 11 pm and lasted for over an an hour. Sources said that Bajrang Punia, Sakshee Malikkh, Sangita Phogat and Satyawart Kadian met Amit Shah, according to the report. The wrestlers reportedly demanded an impartial probe and quick action against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Olympian wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshee Malikkh and Vinesh Phogat are leading a protest by the wrestlers, accusing the sidelined president of the WFI, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, of sexual harassment against many wrestlers including a minor.

The wrestlers had been protesting at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar till May 28 when the Delhi Police cleared the agitation site after they were stopped from marching to the new Parliament building as it was being inaugurated.

The wrestlers, booked for rioting and other charges following the May 28 scuffle with security personnel, later went to Haridwar claiming that they want to immerse their medals in the Ganges.

With many people requesting them, they decided to hand over the medals to the farmers’ leaders to take a call.

Speaking at a gathering where former J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik and RLD Chief Jayant Chaudhary shared the stage, Bajrang Punia on Sunday announced wrestlers will hold a mahapanchayat of their own soon.

Addressing a ‘Sarv Samaj Samarthan Panchayat’ in support of the wrestlers at Mundlana in Sonipat district, Punia requested speakers at the event not to announce any decision, saying grapplers will be calling a Mahapanchayat in another 3-4 days. “We will hold one Mahapanchayat and will give a call for that. We will decide the venue. We want to bring everyone together for that Panchayat, we don’t want us to be divided,” he said.