AKP's 'Türkan Saylan' intolerance: 'We will change it again'

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Council has decided to name Karakavak Street in Beşiktaş's Arnavutköy neighborhood after Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan. AKP Group Spokesperson Faruk Gökkuş said, "When we regain the majority in the council tomorrow, we will change the name." Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat responded to Gökkuş, saying, "Whatever the nation says, that is what happens."

"THE NATION MADE ITS DECISION ON MARCH 31"

In the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Council, Türkan Saylan's name was given to the street where she lived. AKP Group Spokesperson Faruk Gökkuş said, "When we regain the majority in the council tomorrow, we will change the name." Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat responded to Gökkuş's words, saying, "We do whatever the nation says. The nation made its decision on March 31."

In the third session of the IMM Council for July, the decision to name Karakavak Street in Beşiktaş's Arnavutköy, where Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan lived, after her was approved by majority vote.

Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat thanked the council members for the decision. Pointing out that Türkan Saylan was a true intellectual of the Republic, Akpolat said, "She spent the final period of her life in her home in Arnavutköy, with her life turned into a dungeon due to the FETÖ conspiracy. She is an important value of ours due to her fight against leprosy and her efforts to educate girls."

Recalling that they had brought the proposal to name the street where Türkan Saylan lived after her to the IMM Council in the previous term, Akpolat said, "Unfortunately, it was said, 'As long as we are here, as long as the AKP has the majority, the names of people who divide society like Türkan Saylan will not be kept alive anywhere.' This has wounded the conscience of society. It has caused the conscience of society to bleed. With this decision we have taken now, we will have delivered justice to our professor. We will have, to some extent, eased these bleeding consciences."

Upon these words from Akpolat, AKP Group Spokesperson Faruk Gökkuş said, "I was the one who used that phrase in the previous council, and I stand by my words."

Akpolat responded to Gökkuş, "In the previous term, it was said in this council, 'As long as we are here, this name will not be given.' We say this from here, our IMM President uses this in every statement: 'There is no longer 'we', 'I', individuals, sects, or foundations; there is the nation.' Whatever the nation says, that is what happens."

AKP'S FARUK GÖKKUŞ: "WHEN WE REGAIN THE MAJORITY IN THE COUNCIL TOMORROW, WE WILL CHANGE THE NAME"

Gökkuş said, "The treacherous FETÖ conspired against Türkan Saylan, just as it did against all of Turkey's intellectuals, police officers, and soldiers. If it weren't for Tayyip Erdoğan, it would not have been possible to prevent that conspiracy. Hopefully, when we regain the majority in the council tomorrow, we will change the name again."