Workers' protest, mayors' boycott marrs Erdoğan's speech

On May 2, President Erdoğan slammed the HDP for promising to abolish Turkey's top religious body, the Diyanet. He stressed that the Diyanet recently published the Kurdish translation of the Quran, as the crowd shouted Islamic slogans. AA photo

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's speech in a southeastern Turkish province was marred by a protest of workers, as well as local mayors' decision to boycott the presidential visit, on May 2.

"Don't be ingrateful," Erdoğan said angrily when some 30 people started to shout protest slogans during his speech at the inauguration of public facilities in the Batman province.

"You have a job. So don't show ingratitude," Erdoğan added in response to the protest organized by sub-contracted public workers who demanded to be listed as permanent public servants.

"Our Prime Minister has already addressed the issue. You should follow it up. After the elections, those steps will be taken anyway. No need to engage in provocation," Turkish President added. 

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu had recently announced that 6,417 sub-contracted  workers at Turkey's Highways General Directorate would soon be permanently employed. 

It was later revealed that Turkey's Supreme Court had already ordered the government to employ the plaintiffs permanently on the grounds that they have been performing the main work, but the state has been failing to give them the legal status they deserved.

On May 2, Erdoğan also criticized the mayors of the Kurdish problem-focused Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) and its sister, Democratic Regions Party (DBP), for failing to show up at Batman's airport to meet him.

"Would it be right now if I go to their offices despite their impoliteness," Erdoğan asked, explaining why he decided to not visit the mayors, whom he also accused of urban mismanagement and "taking orders" from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

President also slammed the HDP for promising to abolish Turkey's top religious body, the Diyanet. He stressed that the Diyanet recently published the Kurdish translation of the Quran, as the crowd shouted Islamic slogans.

DBP's district mayors in Batman had announced on May 1 that they would not welcome Erdoğan, who later moved on to another rally in the neighboring province of Diyarbakır for his first speech as president in the city.

Diyarbakır co-mayors Gültan Kışanak and Fırat Anlı, from the HDP, chose to attend a village festival instead of welcoming Erdoğan, which led Turkish president to skip a meeting with them, too.

"They say that they are the only representatives of Kurds," Erdoğan said in his speech in Diyarbakır, before being interrupted by the crowd who booed the HDP that he referred to.

"You know the best place to boo them," Erdoğan added, referring to the ballot boxes that would be set up on June 7 in Diyarbakır, too.