CHP ‘to increase rhetoric in criticism’ against gov’t

ISTANBUL

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the head of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has said his party will increase its harsh rhetoric and tone in politics on every platform, particularly in response to ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies, adding they would “call a thief a thief from now on.” 

Kılıçdaroğlu’s remarks came as he answered questions from journalists on a live broadcast program on CNN Türk on April 13. 

“We have come to the point of harsh speaking. Whatever they [AKP deputies] say, we will respond to them. This is a new tactic. Turkey has already become polarized,” said the CHP leader. 

Asked about his and his party’s stance on the issue of lifting parliamentary immunities, Kılıçdaroğlu said he supported the proposal to strip lawmakers of their immunities and added that politicians must also pay the price for any wrongdoing.

“We are not afraid to pay the price either… the legal system jails a writer; we take the risk of being jailed too. We never want to hide behind the shield of immunity. Ministers’ immunities should be lifted too, whoever the current or former ministers are. If they are going to jail us after the immunities are lifted, they can go for it. We are ready to pay all necessary costs to bring real democracy to this country,” Kılıçdaroğlu said, adding the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) should also say “yes” to the draft proposal on the issue.

The CHP leader also touched upon his earlier remarks about Family Minister Sema Ramazanoğlu, who Kılıçdaroğlu says “defended” the Ensar Foundation, which recently became embroiled in a child abuse case in the Central Anatolian province of Karaman. 

Referring to his remarks of “lying in front of certain people” addressed to Ramazanoğlu, Kılıçdaroğlu noted he had said the polite version of the phrase, adding it is widely used in Anatolian culture.

“The President [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan], the Prime Minister [Ahmet Davutoğlu] and the minister [Ramazanoğlu] defended Ensar and I defended the children,” said Kılıçdaroğlu, adding that AKP members would take care of those children if they had a “conscience.”