Erdoğan targets CHP: 'Whoever is aimless...'

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan directed criticisms at the CHP during the 7th Ordinary Congress of the AKP Headquarters Women's Branch. Targeting the deputies who recently joined the CHP without naming them, Erdoğan claimed that the main opposition party 'has attracted every marginal and lazy person like a lightning rod.'

Speaking at the 7th Ordinary Congress of the AKP Headquarters Women's Branch held at the Ankara Indoor Sports Hall, Erdoğan targeted the CHP and its Chairman Özgür Özel, claiming that 'CHP members are no longer affected by these tragedies as they used to be because they lost hope a long time ago.'

Erdoğan used the following expressions in his speech:

''They are attracting everyone who is aimless, marginal, and lazy like a lightning rod. Our CHP citizens are no longer affected by these tragedies as they used to be because they lost hope a long time ago. Let them continue to play games with red and yellow cards, and continue to speak with the jargon of leftist terrorist organizations.''

Highlights from the President's speech are as follows:

''My dear ladies, my precious companions and fellow travelers, I greet you with my most heartfelt feelings and respect. I pray to Allah that our 7th Ordinary Congress of the AK Party Headquarters Women's Branch will be auspicious for our country, our party, and our ladies.

Since the day we founded our party, we have been walking on a difficult, challenging, but equally honorable and important path. We have taken every step of our journey with a passion for serving our nation. We have endeavored to reach every citizen with our services. Our women have always been the guides of this sacred struggle. I thank all the ladies who have not left us alone.''

THANKS TO THE WOMEN'S BRANCH

Thanking the AKP's women's branch, Erdoğan thanked the managers of the women's branch for the projects produced so far. In his speech, Erdoğan emphasized that 'their struggle is not a struggle for personal ambition.'

''I offer my gratitude to our former presidents who have served in our women's branch and to all my brothers and sisters who have put in the effort. We are carrying out our congresses, which started on October 12, as a relay race. We are conducting our congress by strengthening our staff with new faces.

While the opposition uses congresses as a tool for liquidation, we are renewing ourselves. In our congresses, hearts speak, not fists.''

''In our congresses, not only organization members but hearts meet. We are completing our congresses where no chaos or disrespect occurs, and chairs do not fly in the air. Today, there is a change of duty in our women's branch. I thank our women's branch president, our Düzce deputy, for her efforts. They have signed off on projects that leave a mark behind.

I congratulate them on behalf of my party, myself, and my family. I also wish great success to our Istanbul deputy, my sister Tuğba Işık. She is a sister who comes from within this movement. I have full confidence that she will carry the flag much higher. Our struggle is not a struggle for personal ambition. Regardless of our duty, we are all soldiers serving the country and the nation.''

'A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TURKEY IN EVERY FIELD...'

Underlining that the country has transformed in every field under their administration, Erdoğan stated that 'oppression and pressure' ended during their term. The President said that 'he will continue to serve the nation as long as he lives.'

''We are fighting to exalt Turkey and strengthen our democracy. We are not short-distance runners. We are not among those who are fair-weather friends. Each of us is a runner in a long marathon whose goal is the approval of God and the prayers of the people. In this marathon, we will run until we cross the finish line without losing our patience or energy. No one, including myself, has the luxury of sulking, being offended, or dropping out of the race on the path of serving the nation. We have not been and will not be like those who place their personal interests at the center of their politics.

We will insist on saying 'we' instead of 'I'. As long as God gives us life and we have the energy, we will continue to serve all of Turkey. We are aware that we cannot repay the rights of those who have shouldered this cause.

If we are talking about a completely different Turkey in every field today compared to 22 years ago, you have a huge contribution and sacrifice in this. You women have a large share in the level our country has reached today. You have a great contribution to the unique gains from rights and freedoms to democracy. We overcame difficulties together.

We repelled the attacks targeting the national will together. We paved the way for democracy, justice, and development together with you. We defended our brotherhood together without giving credit to provocations. We signed many reforms together. We reached a prosperous Turkey together from the days when oppression and bans darkened our horizon.''

'BEFORE US, WOMEN HAD NO NAME'

Erdoğan also stated that before the AKP came to power, women had no name in Turkey. Emphasizing that headscarved women faced restrictions in the public and private sectors, Erdoğan drew attention to the role the AKP Women's Branch played in changing this situation.

''When we set out, we said not politics for women, but politics with women. We have remained loyal to this promise until today. We have attached importance to taking your opinions on every issue. Our AK Party Women's Branch has brought a level to politics and gained quality and qualification. You were the reason for breaking the prejudices against women.

Even if some do not know, or do not want to accept it even if they know, for years there was no name for women in this country. Women's names were seen as window dressing in politics, and their right to be elected was usurped. Their right to work in the public and private sectors was restricted. CHP, do not forget, it was you who set up persuasion rooms at the gates of universities. Now they have come out and are talking to us about women's rights.

You have a long way to go to catch up on women's rights. For years in this country, women had no name. Women who had to watch their children's oath-taking ceremonies behind wire fences were a reality of this country. Girls subjected to psychological pressure in persuasion rooms were a reality of this country. Women who were forcibly removed from the parliament because they were headscarved were a reality of this country. Women whose chastity was slandered in newspaper columns on February 28 were a reality of this country. Women bore the entire burden of poverty and bans, and women paid the highest price.''

''In the dark climate of difficulties, women were the most despised. Oh CHP, weren't you the fake acrobats who pinned party badges on the collars of women in chadors? We ended these bad scenes that do not befit our democracy together with you. We have signed many services that provide equal opportunity for women. We ensured the schooling of girls in education.

The figures prove that our efforts are bearing fruit. When we took office, the rate of female students was 13 percent, today it has exceeded 53 percent. Mr. Özgür, we did not come here out of nowhere, we sweated. We put our hearts into it. It has become clear who liberated women. Women began to take their rightful place together with the AK Party. We ensured that women are strongly represented in the Parliament, local governments, and the business world. We achieved these despite the fascist attitude of the opposition. Women are showing themselves in every field and are taking their places strongly in decision-making mechanisms.''

FEBRUARY 28 REMINDER

Touching upon the February 28 process, the President also reminded that they will not remain silent to the 'usurpation of rights gained by women.' Erdoğan claimed that there is pressure on headscarved women in municipalities managed by the opposition.

''Combating violence against women was an area where we did not compromise. Violence against women was not even defined as a crime in our legislation. It was our government that made this a qualified crime. Remember, violence against women is a betrayal of humanity. We ensured the protection of women in a way that no contract would be needed. We took revolutionary steps in many areas that were not even on the opposition's agenda.

We tried to do whatever was necessary with sincerity so that women could live a life worthy of human dignity and benefit from rights equally and fairly. We know the difficulties women face. Discriminatory policies that we remember from February 28 are being tried to be implemented again in municipalities managed by the opposition. The necessary respect is not shown to the lifestyle of the religious segment. Women are targeted again. It is shameful and worrying that marginal politics, which smells of revanchism, is being tried to be revived in local governments by the opposition.''

''All of these are under our close follow-up. We can never allow our people's lifestyle to be interfered with. We cannot remain silent to the gains that women have achieved over many years being usurped by three or five fascists, whether in local government or the private sector. We do not bow to those who pursue past scores. We do not remain silent to the provocation of the majority of this nation.

Even if some still find it difficult to accept, yesterday is in the past. The bad habits of the old Turkey have remained in the old Turkey. The days when hitman pens set the tone for the nation and civil politics are left behind, never to return. The title deed of the Republic of Turkey belongs to the Turkish nation. The sole owner of the institutions is all 85 million. They will have to face this truth. As a government, we will continue our struggle against the exclusionary, arrogant mentality with determination on the basis of democracy and law.''